McKinsey Report Recommendations Under Threat From Wool Board

Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre Chairman Chris Lester has expressed concerns that Wool Board Directors are already casting doubts on whether woolgrowers should vote on all of the McKinsey Review recommendations as a whole.

"Since its 1999 AGM, the Wool Board has repeatedly stated that it would support the implementation of the Industry Review recommendations, if that is what growers wanted."

"Woolgrowers must hold the Wool Board to its word," said Mr Lester.

Last week the Review Team's report containing ten critical recommendations for revitalizing the wool industry was released.

"But on the very first day of its release, farmers saw the Board Chairman Bruce Munro and at least one other Board member casting doubts about the Board's willingness to allow growers to vote on the ten critical recommendations as one."

"The Board seems to want to divide the report up, but the synergies come from the strategy as a whole. Picking only some of the recommendation would allow the Board to cherry-pick the options and structure it would most like."

"The McKinsey & Co consultants have clearly identified the need to consider the proposed changes as a package and that the exclusion of any part of them would require a re-evaluation of the entire structure," observed Mr Lester.

"Woolgrowers have paid good money for this report and farmers are not about to let the process be derailed by faint-hearts in the final straight."

"Sheep farmers must insist that the McKinsey recommendations are given the best possible chance to deliver maximum benefit to the industry," concluded Mr Lester.

ENDS

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