WITH just three weeks of voting left, only 11.3pc of growers have voted so far in the WoolPoll 2009 to determine what percentage of their wool incomes will go to Australian Wool Innovation, the nation’s wool research and marketing body.
WoolPoll chair Will Roberts today described the poor response to the poll so far as 'alarming'.
“What does this say about the wool industry, if growers can’t even be bothered to set aside the five minutes it takes to vote?" he asked.
The current levy stands at 2pc. Proposed levy rates being polled are 3pc, 2.5pc, 2pc, 1pc and 0pc.
Just 13pc of Queensland woolgrowers, for instance, have cast their ballot in WoolPoll 2009. That’s 179 out of a total of 1,372 eligible growers state-wide.
Despite the low rate, Queensland actually has the highest proportion among the states of growers voting.
Second is Victoria at 11.9pc, followed closely by Western Australia, with 11.7pc.
The state with the worst turn-out so far is New South Wales, where just 1,704 out of 16,056 growers, or 10.6pc, have entered their votes.
WoolPoll chair Will Roberts said: “If you’re an Australian woolgrower and you care about the future of this industry, then get voting now. Time is running out.”
Under the Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000, AWI is required to run a poll of woolgrower levy payers every three years.
Voter information kits were sent to eligible growers in late September. Growers can vote either via post or on the WoolPoll website, www.woolpoll.com.au. The poll closes at 5pm EST on Friday, November 6.
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