Gavan Herlihy National Agriculture Spokesperson

6 June 2002

Get on with it Jim!

"Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton has been given a clear message by woolgrowers and he should act on it," says National's Agriculture spokesman Gavan Herlihy. Mr Herlihy's comments come in the wake of the recent woolgrower referendum that has overwhelmingly voted for the Wool Board to be dissolved.

"Woolgrowers have given the Minister a clear mandate that they want the board wound up and he must take heed of this. Farmers are clearly sick and tired of all the talk about wool industry reform and want to see some action.

"Jim Sutton has always said industry reform was up to farmers and he will act if given a clear mandate. Well, a 98 per cent vote in favour of winding the Wool Board up is a pretty clear mandate.

"The Minister no longer has an excuse to sit on the sidelines and do nothing, he needs put in place the necessary legislation to dissolve the board and return reserves to growers. National would support such a move," Mr Herlihy concluded.

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