Good morning,
Welcome to the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia.
I would like to particularly welcome two invited observers to today’s meeting, in Geneveve Dyson from Quality Wool, and Stever Harrison, President of Wool Producers Australia.
It would be naïve to suggest that the last year has not been as trying for the wool industry as any time in the past, with possibly the exception of war time. The reduction in wool production has taken us back to levels not seen since around the time of WW1. Despite this, we are all still here, and one wonders what the wool broker landscape will look like in the coming years. This downturn in production has been felt by our own NCWSBA balance sheet, as our revenue from subscriptions is significantly reduced. One of the themes we have prosecuted this year is for industry to “cut its cloth” to suit the environment, a concept not lost on us as brokers. A concept we have strongly advocated for across the wider industry. A concept I doubt we have seen the end of just yet.
NCWSBA has manouvered itself unashamedly to a position of leadership within the industry. We have made a conscious decision to be involved in the narrative, if not leading it. After all, the decisions made by those in positions of power when it comes to policy cannot be relied upon to consider our future, given that some would rather see us gone. Part of our ability to do this, is the fact that we have an Executive Director who is willing to take up the fight on our behalf, with informed debate, insight, and facts.
It has been our goal for the last six years to have all brokers represented at National Council. This has proven to be quite a challenge, but none the less, we have new members who have joined in that time in Moses & Son, Fox & Lillie Rural last year, and this year West Coast Wool from Western Australia. In my view, all brokers should be represented, by this organisation in some shape or form, and we will continue to try and sell our message to non-members.
National Council is represented right across the Wool Industry. We are key members of Wool Industries Australia, and as a result we sit on the China Australia Joint Working Group, the India Australia Joint Working Group, the National Wool Harvesting and Training Advisory Panel, the Australian Wool Traceability Hub Steering Committee, the Workplace Conduct Working Group and we are also represented on the AWTA Board.
We play a significant and very important role within the industry. We can influence decisions which affect us directly. An example of this (along with ACWEP) is to have the mid-year break moved back to facilitate more selling weeks before the break. This in turned pushed wool week back to now, but it also avoided trying to conduct sales in much of August when it has long been regarded as the least desirable to time to sell.
Our next challenge (which will be discussed later) is the issue of Chinese New Year. We should lead this debate, we should set this agenda, and we should use the opportunity to continue developing the selling year to reflect what both our buyer clients need and our seller clients want.
We have had mixed success in our fights this year. The Make the Label Count Campaign in Europe is finally gaining traction, and it was Australia (through AWI) who initially funded the campaign. Both ourselves and ACWEP contributed to this campaign and we have been asked to do so again. We are starting to win, we are told, but we need to stay the course.
On the other hand, we joined forces with our West Australian colleagues, with Wool Producers and the West Australian Shearing Industry Association to reverse the cessation of the Live Export Market. Unfortunately, a government was re-elected there with an increased majority, so the battle was lost.
The Young Wool Broker of the Year Program is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance, and I congratulate the three finalists in this years’ event. Going forward, we have plans to redesign the Young Wool Broker Program into a “Young Wool Professional” Concept. There are several reasons for this, but one is to align the program with the Young Wool Professional program at IWTO, and to spread the net further domestically. With this in mind, we are building on our already excellent relationships with both Wool Producers Australia and the Australian Council of Wool Exporters and Processors. WPA runs a similar Young Ambassador Program. In time, it is hoped, that the Young Wool Professional will have three successful applicants, representing the Australian wool industry by attending and presenting at IWTO and joining the Young Wool Professional Program. One broker, one buyer and one grower. By working collaboratively with these other organisations, it is hoped we can rebuild the comradery between producer, broker and exporter that many of us enjoyed when wool production was higher.
As I mentioned, NCWSBA has a very strong relationship with both WPA and ACWEP. This has been as a result of a concerted effort by all to regularly connect, discuss and consider the others point of view and to work constructively and collaboratively together for the common good of the industry. This is a concept we will continue to promote, particularly with other sectors of the industry who have proven to be far more resistant to such cohesion. These three organisations are in my view the backbone of Wool Industries Australia, and the industry at large as they are the only ones who are investing their own funds back into industry or representing those who do.
With that said, I would like to acknowledge and thank Josh Lamb, President of ACWEP, who always takes a call, and who really does have the industry at heart. Josh has been an incredibly strong ally of National Council. I would also like to thank Steve Harrison (President), Adam Dawes (General Manager) and Jo Hall (CEO) of Wool Producers Australia who have also been extremely collaborative and helpful in restoring good will within the sector. Without taking anything away from Steve and Adam, I would particularly like to single out Jo Hall, who is certainly someone you want on your side when you are in the trenches.
Together, these three organisations have worked collaboratively to unite the Australian Wool Industry. We have all pulled together to hold others to account, and to lead the narrative. The vehicle is to do this is Wool Industries Australia (WIA), the conduit to IWTO, who now enjoys a resurgence largely due to this collaborative and co-operative approach. The other organisations who make up WIA are the AW’s. AWEX, AWTA, AWH and AWI. Despite they all being industry service providers, this collaboration most recently manifested itself with WIA unanimously deciding to back the AWSS. Some companies represented in this room did have reservations, but, they put those aside to give AWEX the endorsement required to at least give it a go. Charles McElhone will update you further shortly.
I feel it would be remiss of me if I did not acknowledge John Roberts, the CEO of AWI, who has announced his resignation last week. John has certainly worked with us to achieve this milestone, and I’d like to think his attitude will find its way to the top of that organisation. For his part, his collaboration and his co-operation, I say thankyou.
The unity of the industry should be all our focus. In case you hadn’t noticed, we have our collective “backs to the wall” and we should pull together as one. From AWI, to WIA and all of us in between.
One recent event galvanised most of us to this goal, and I hope it will you as well. The IWTO Congress in Lille, France in May this year, showed those of us who were there, that we must not rest on our reputation. There are others out there who want our title. We were grossly under represented at that event, despite the fact that Australian wool growers partially fund it. We listened while NZ claimed to have the most Sustainable wool and the best wool in the World. We heard how South Africa had the best traceability systems and the best wool in the world. Even the Falkland Islanders claimed the whitest wool in the world. All we could claim was the biggest down turn in production in the world. A brief appearance by John Roberts as AWI CEO, and a presentation by our own Robert Herrmann, who had to ask to speak, and a presentation on day one by Adam Dawes was the best we could do. These minnows (NZ & SA) are punching above their weight. We punch each other and it has to stop now.
To add insult to injury, and to top it all off, we are advised by the Chinese in the China Australia Joint Working Group Meeting that they now prefer South African Wool for its Traceable and Certified Credentials, and why didn’t we recognise their Chinese New Year.
Over the past year, we have reviewed and renewed our own “Rules” or Constitution of the Association. These were very dated, no longer fit for purpose and long overdue to be reviewed. A working group of both me and Rob Herrmann, as well as Gerard Buchanan and Marty Moses, working in conjunction with Heinz Law in Victoria, worked on making the Rules suitable and relevant to our current makeup. These new rules were ratified at a special General Meeting held two weeks ago. I would like to thank Rob, Gerard and Marty for their diligence on this matter.
I have now arrived at the end of my tenure, having served out the optional second term brought about as a result of the three covid years. My observation is that this role is one you grow into and I have found it both challenging and rewarding at the same time. I have very much enjoyed this role, and I would like to extend my support and council to the incoming President and Vice President. It has very much become a team effort and will need to continue to be that in the years ahead, as our profile and work load increase.
I would like to thank the Executive individually. Today John Colley leaves the Executive as Immediate Past President, as I will now take that role. I have appreciated greatly John’s experience and council, which has always been available to me at any time. John will continue to represent National Council as our AWTA Director, and I would like to acknowledge and thank John for “donating” most of his Directors Fee back to National Council.
Vice President Alistair Calvert. Alistair is to be admired for his “direct” approach to issues. This I find particularly refreshing and effective. Alistair says what he thinks and has been a very worthy deputy indeed. At the same time, he has been supportive and respectful of my position and for that I am particularly grateful.
I would also like to thank Bianca for the assistance she provides to the Executive Director and for her organisation and management of the Young Broker program.
Finally, I would particularly and most sincerely like to thank the Executive Director, Robert Herrmann. Rob is without doubt, the most effective person we’ve had in this role. He has been a broker, and he therefore understands our plight. When John and I interviewed Rob for the position, we knew we had the right candidate. What we didn’t know, was just how right he was. Robert is enthusiastic, energetic, informed and very collaborative. He is always willing to listen to others’ opinions and ideas, and for us, he is very much an asset. The NCWSBA is very fortunate to have his experience and expertise available to us.
As this is my final President’s Report, I would like to thank you all for your support, and I look forward to supporting the new President in his role. Don’t forget, these roles are unpaid, and when you are in the business of running a business, your time is important. To give up that time for the benefit of others, particularly those you compete against, should not be taken for granted.
I would also like to congratulate the Young Wool Brokers who have made the final tonight, and to each of you, Nicole, Justin and Jared, I wish you good luck, and thankyou for putting yourself forward.
Once again, Thankyou, and I move this report be accepted into the minutes.
Seconded: AC
Rowan Woods
President (Outgoing)
11th September, 2025
