WA wool leaders say industry decline likely after Labor releases roadmap to phase out live sheep exports

WA’s wool and Merino industries say they will be among the casualties after the Federal Government’s announcement it will phase out live sheep exports within four years. Stud Merino Breeders’ Association of WA president Michael Campbell said the timing of the phase-out announcement last weekend could not be worse for the State’s sheep producers. He said the high cost of fodder and lack of water in many parts of WA was already putting a lot of pressure on sheep producers who were carrying store animals. “This is a political argument; the Federal Government are saying they have talked with the WA sheep industry, but they haven’t taken any of our opinions into consideration,” Mr Campbell said. “The situation in WA is unique — we have a much smaller domestic market in comparison to the Eastern States. “We were hoping to get some positive solutions from the Federal Government to help with the challenges in WA’s sheep industry at the moment.” The latest figures from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development show in 2021-22 the WA wool industry had a gross value of $655 million, 49 per cent of the total contribution of the WA sheep industry. Mr Campbell said the importance of the live export industry to the WA economy, its farming systems and support industries was a very complex issue. “This is impacting on diversity in WA’s mixed farming areas. Our livestock industry keeps people in our communities with shearers, livestock carriers and many more,” he said. “The ramifications of phasing out live export will be huge and they (Government) are really playing down what this will cost our industry.” Mr Campbell encouraged stud Merino breeders to maintain as many breeding ewes as possible in what was a challenging time. He was optimistic there would be a future for the WA Merino industry, with the outlook for wool over the next three to five years extremely positive amid growing demand from global markets for sustainable fibre. PJ Morris Wools managing director Peter Morris said the phase-out was devastating news for wool growers. “Listening to wool brokers and graziers alike, it seems the consensus is that wool production could fall as much as 20 per cent in the next 18 months to two years — and this is being optimistic,’ he said. “Hundreds of millions of dollars in loss of wool exports alone out of WA could occur, which it seems the Labor Government has not factored into the equation.” Mr Morris labelled Federal Labor’s $107m transition funding package “a pittance” and questioned how the WA sheep industry would adapt in four years. “The Federal Government does not seem to understand that overseas markets take years to develop,” he said. “This is a very short-sighted and ignorant Government policy that will impact farming communities in WA and in the future could be felt in other livestock trade industries around Australia.” The nation’s peak wool industry body, WoolProducers Australia, has vowed to continue fighting for West Australians whose “livelihoods and mental health are being destroyed” by Labor’s “ridiculous” policy. WA Shearing Industry Association president Darren Spencer said the industry had repeatedly warned Labor of the dire consequences. “This is a sad day for our industry, for producers and for our communities; we are all entitled to feel very let down and abandoned by this Government,” Mr Spencer said. “WASIA stands with everyone in our industry to continue the fight and to the ALP, we say ‘this will not be forgotten at election time’.”