Taskforce Report Pleases Wool Exporters

Taskforce Report Pleases Wool Exporters

Wool exporters think that the Wool Taskforce did a reasonable job and that its report could lead to resolving some of the issues in the wool industry.

Exporters Council president John Henderson said that the Taskforce has to be complimented on opening the way to a new level of understanding of some of the issues that have divided the industry in recent years.

“The report makes it clear that the strategic and industry models floated in the last few years and which have caused much angst in the industry are firmly rebutted. That in itself vindicates the stand the wider industry has taken in regard to these.

The Taskforce has acknowledged that the commercial decisions for the industry need to be made by the commercial players. That puts paid to the theorists sitting in a back room without having anything at risk. You can’t argue with that.

“It is also encouraging to know that the chairman of the Taskforce, Jeff Grant, talks against aggregation of the clip. The Taskforce has been realistic about there being no silver-bullet, short term solution that will suddenly give returns that are above the world price.”

Mr Henderson said that quite a lot of the observations and recommendations made in the Taskforce report coincide exactly with the views of the wool exporting sector.

“We obviously have some differing views on how to get to and to achieve some of the objectives, but that is hardly surprising, given that the Taskforce itself was not unanimous in many of its thoughts.

“The Taskforce has echoed our long-held views on the need to create new demand for wool and woollen products at the retail level.

“We have a major difference of opinion on how that should be achieved but the important thing is the Taskforce acknowledgement that this job needs doing.

“We see that as a very important step in encouraging those that oppose promotion to understand that they have to come on board. The question of how we do it will be sorted out one way or the other.”

Mr Henderson said that despite the public perception that industry relationships are in turmoil the reality is somewhat different.

“Yes, there are real problems in industry unity, but the majority of the industry is united and always has been. The problems stem from the interference and attempted domination of the industry by firstly the Wool Board and more latterly by Meat and Wool New Zealand. That has gone on for years and almost all of the current turmoil comes out of their most recent attempts to take over the industry.

“It is hardly surprising that the people that have millions of dollars on the table buying and marketing our wool object to that and that it has led to relationships becoming strained and vitriolic.

“But the wool levy has gone and there is now the chance, for the first time in something like 50 years, for the wool industry to operate without the constant interference from a levy funded organisation. We think that the industry should be given the chance to get on with it.

“We are strong supporters of having an umbrella wool industry organisation. We already have the National Council of New Zealand Wool Interests and despite recent claims that it doesn’t represent the wider industry because Meat and Wool New Zealand resigned after the levy vote, it is in fact widely representative of the industry.

“We will be pushing to ensure that the independent nominee of the Minister understands National Council’s existing role and the common-sense approach of strengthening that organisation.”

ENDS

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