A LACK of measureable timelines, milestones and deliverables in the WA Roadmap to 2028 for the Western Australian sheep industry has been noted by the state’s peak farmer body WAFarmers.
The roadmap was released live and broadcast as a webinar in Western Australia yesterday, by transition advocate Dr Chris Rodwell and the WA Strategic Steering Group.
In launching the roadmap, Dr Rodwell described it as as plan for the sector “designed by the sector, for what good, could and should look like.”
Dr Rodwell said what is just as important as what the plan “tells us” are the conversations that are starting in paddocks, around kitchen tables and in board rooms around the state. He said these conversations should continue so that the sheep sector can “line up” for some significant opportunities ahead.
The roadmap report said its consultation process highlighted three major opportunity areas:
i. Clearly defined and benchmarked WA-specific production systems can lift productivity, profitability, and system resilience, particularly through improvements in genetics, pasture management, and system design
ii. Coordinated education, extension, and capability building can rebuild confidence and enable informed, evidence-based decision-making across the industry
iii. Improved value capture through stronger supply-chain collaboration, pricing transparency, and market alignment can enhance returns and smooth supply.
The roadmap also includes three goals, underpinned by strategies and initiatives.
Goal 1: The whole supply chain operating efficiently to optimise market value and profitability,
Goal 2: Informed, confident decision-making across the industry,
Goal 3: A vibrant, positive and collaborative industry culture.
No timelines on deliverables in roadmap
However, the roadmap goals contain no timelines or milestones, as is normal for a roadmap, although its associated economic analysis report includes potential outcomes from co-ordinated action.
WAFarmers chief executive officer Trevor Whittington said it is significant that the potential deliverables in the assosicated economic analysis report are not firmed up with timelines in the roadmap.
“The Federal Government’s plan to replace live sheep exports with a transition strategy has much in common with its plan to build nuclear submarines.
“Both come with heroic timelines (live sheep phaseout by 1 May 2028), optimistic budgets, glossy roadmaps and promises of future prosperity,” he said.
“The only real difference is that one industry already existed before they decided to transition it,” he said.
“A roadmap, by definition, should contain milestones, timelines and measurable deliverables.
“The economic analysis underpinning the roadmap contains a series of forecasts and projected outcomes, but the roadmap itself appears reluctant to convert those projections into commitments against which anyone can be held accountable,” Mr Whittington said.
“The industry has waited considerable time for this strategy and strategic thought leaders has had sufficient time to identify how the implementation funding will be allocated.
“It is therefore reasonable to ask why the roadmap does not include clearer timelines and performance measures,” he said.
“For example, the economic analysis suggests coordinated action could deliver:
An increase in flock size of 17 percent or approximately 1.5 million sheep.
An additional 38,000 tonnes of meat production annually.
An additional 6,400 tonnes of wool production annually.
“The obvious question is: by when?”
Mr Whittington asked: If these are the outcomes being used to justify the roadmap, why are they not linked to milestones and implementation targets?
“Equally, why 1.5 million additional sheep? Why not 2 million?
“Why not stabilisation of the current flock?,” he said.
“What modelling has been undertaken around supply, demand, processing capacity, producer profitability and the marginal costs and benefits of rebuilding the flock to different levels?
Mr Whittington said the roadmap’s economic analysis also suggests these potential outcomes could generate around $660 million in direct value-add, a further $620 million in indirect value-add, support an additional 1,600 direct jobs and 2,300 indirect jobs, while potentially increasing mixed farm sheep producer cash earnings by around $100,000 annually.
“These are substantial claims.
“If they are credible projections, then producers should be able to see the modelling assumptions behind them,” he said.
“What sheep prices are assumed? What wool prices? What labour availability? What processor capacity utilisation? What level of producer investment is required to achieve those outcomes?
“At present, these figures appear more as aspirations than deliverables,” Mr Whittington said.
“Converting them into measurable milestones would have strengthened the roadmap considerably and provided a basis for accountability across industry, processors and both State and Federal governments.
“Instead, the roadmap largely describes where the industry would like to end up without clearly identifying who is responsible for getting it there, how progress will be measured or what happens if the targets are not achieved,” he said.
Mr Whittington said the roadmap document reminds him of Defence procurement forecasts.
“The destination is described in great detail, the benefits are extensively modelled, but the delivery pathway, funding certainty and accountability mechanisms remain considerably less clear.
“Ultimately, the question is not whether the projected outcomes are desirable; most people would agree they are,” he said.
“The question is whether they are realistic, who is accountable for achieving them and whether the roadmap provides a practical mechanism for measuring progress along the way.”
Mr Whittington said he has been told the Commonwealth Government established a $5m implementation pool to fund priority actions arising from the WA Roadmap to 2028 once it is completed. However, the roadmap has not listed any priority actions with funding allocations.
WAFarmers Livestock Council president Geoff Pearson did not attend the roadmap launch yesterday, but said it was now about rebuilding confidence in the WA sheep industry.
“We need to make our own decisions but if there has to be some more (government) assistance, then so be it.
“They created this mess so they might have to come along on the journey.”
Mr Pearson said the reason sheep meat price levels are at the current high levels is because sheep numbers fell after the live export phaseout decision, and now supply is low and demand is up.
He said whether governments are involved or not in the flock rebuild, producers “have to play the game and make sure that we push the right buttons going forward.”
Mr Pearson said will need to be commitments from all sectors of the industry.
“The roadmap is just the start of it and it’s going to continue for a long time, wherever the market forces allow it to go.”
He said more transition funding in producers’ pockets would help and might help to rebuild the flock with restocking prices now very high.
“Processors have also got to step up, I know it’s going to be tough for them in the future to keep the margins, but if they need supply then there has got to be some confidence that they will be there post-2028 to keep some numbers in the system.”
Roadmap to be considered by Federal Government
Dr Rodwell was unavailable to answer questions about the roadmap today, with the Transition Advocate Secretariat advising Sheep Central that he is is currently travelling to China as an observer on the WA Wool Collective trip to understand market demand, in line with exporters Peter Morris’ video at last night’s WA Roadmap launch.
“The WA Roadmap is industry-led, government enabled and was developed through a comprehensive codesign with WA members of the WA supply chain. It contains goals, strategies and initiatives and as per its title, is intended to be a strategy to 2028.
“The WA Roadmap to 2028 is currently being considered by government to inform the focus for the $5 million Implementation Fund to support the WA sheep industry,” the secretariat advised.
Click here to read the full WA Roadmap to 2028 and economic analysis reports under the Future Flock website’s Reports section.
Click here to read Mr Whittington’s take on the recently released roadmap economic analysis – ‘How to rebuild a flock on paper’.
Click here to read Mr Whittington’s take on the roadmap launched yesterday.
Federal agriculture minister will not come to Western Australia. Local agriculture minister afraid to leave Perth. Albo has been to WA 40-odd times, as he boasts, but has never talked to a farmer. Just a collection of motherhood statements . A Claytons roadmap that Uncle Albo will drive into a ditch.