The AWI slogan for WoolPoll 2024.
AUSTRALIA’S wool industry is in the dark on the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry’s inability to complete a WoolPoll review process in time for the next scheduled levy ballot in 2027.
The regulations that enabled the wool levy poll were repealed on 1 January 2025 with the commencement of the modernised agricultural levies and charges legislative framework.
Since then the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has been seeking to re-establish the wool levy poll framework, setting an initial industry feedback deadline of 27 February 2026, with the expectation of being ready for the next WoolPoll in 2027.
The WoolPoll ballot is conducted every three years among eligible growers to determine the wool levy rate to fund research, development and marketing programs through Australian Wool Innovation. The 2024 poll resulted in the 1.5 percent levy rate being retained.
However, in an unattributed media statement today, AWI said DAFF told a WICP meeting last week that the new arrangements will not be in place in time for a WoolPoll in 2027. AWI said a new WoolPoll instrument, including the nomination of a polling body, is required before a WoolPoll can be conducted under the new legislative framework.
AWI said the current wool levy rate of 1.5 percent does not expire and will remain in place unless changed in accordance with the legislation. AWI said it will continue working with DAFF and wool grower representatives as the new arrangements are progressed and will keep levy payers informed about the timing of the next WoolPoll.
However, AWI would not or could not say why the new WoolPoll arrangements have been delayed, nor whether DAFF had given any reasons for the delay. AWI also would not say if DAFF has said when the new arrangements are expected to be in place, what steps were needed to achieve this or if consultation would continue.
No reasons given for WoolPoll arrangements delay
WoolProducers Australia chief executive officer Jo Hall said last Wednesday’s WICP meeting was told by DAFF that the new regulatory instrument for WoolPoll should be finalised by mid-next year, meaning that there will not be enough time to properly consult and conduct the poll as was expected.
“No meaningful reason for this delay was provided.
“To be clear, this delay is solely DAFF’s fault, not AWI’s or the industry’s,” she said.
“It has been halted somewhere in the bureaucracy of DAFF, and we don’t exactly know where the consultation is up to in terms of next steps.
“We provided a written submission into this process in February this year expecting that there would be sign-off on the new regulation well before it was needed to conduct next year’s WoolPoll.”
Ms Hall said WPA had not seen any new WoolPoll arrangements proposals from DAFF, but said WoolProducers’ submission focused on responses to a number of questions posed by DAFF regarding the appropriateness of the three-year WoolPoll cycle, type of voting system, improvements for the WoolPoll panel, voting eligibility, voting entitlement prescribed levy rates and the requirement for the Minister to approve forms.
“Before this delay was announced we were told by DAFF a few months ago that there would be another opportunity to provide input, but I haven’t seen that advice in writing so I’m not sure if that is confirmed.”
Ms Hall said the delay in finalising the new WoolPoll arrangements reflects extremely poorly on DAFF.
“The former WoolPoll regulations were repealed and expired as of 1 January, 2025 meaning that DAFF have been aware of the need for a new regulatory instrument to conduct the poll for many years, so it is inexcusable that DAFF have not been able get themselves organised.
“Obviously this delay will mean that there will be impacts around timings for future polls regardless of if a three-year cycle is retained or another length adopted.”
DAFF was contacted for its response on the AWI statement and the reasons for the delay.
A DAFF spokesperson said the department continues to progress development of the WoolPoll instrument required and remains committed to this process being informed by close consultation with the Woolgrowers Industry Consultation Panel (WICP), Woolgrower Consultative Group and Australian Wool Innovation to ensure it is fit for purpose and meets the needs of the wool industry.
The department confirmed that new arrangements are being informed by extensive consultation with WICP, Woolgrower Consultative Group, Australian Wool Innovation and individual woolgrowers. To support ongoing consultation and for arrangements to be finalised, the department has advised WICP that the WoolPoll instrument will not be finalised for a WoolPoll to be conducted in 2027.
The department said frequency of future polls and the duration that they apply were part of the feedback from industry and is currently being considered as part of the drafting process. Once a draft is developed, the department will conduct further consultation with the wool industry before finalising the draft instrument for the Minister’s consideration, DAFF said.
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