Animal Liberation activist Mark Pearson set off an international storm by recording video of mulesing and sending it to PETA about five years ago, a move that evolved into the animal rights movement boycotting Australian wool and harassing retailers into joining the ban.

But with changes at the top of the wool industry, Mr Pearson hopes the new AWI board will be more willing to negotiate and outcome rather than fight for one in the courts.

“The previous regime at AWI tried to fight this issue in the courts and failed," he says.

"I am now willing and able to help, as I can see the industry is making significant progress towards phasing out mulesing with the move to plainer-bodied animals and the development of intradermals.

"These both look a lot more practical than the clips, which the previous AWI board would not show us, so I assume they didn’t do the job.”

AWI chairman Wally Merriman has welcomed Mr Pearson’s comments, saying the new board is willing to work with any interested party willing to negotiate the issue on reasonable grounds.

“There is a change in attitude.

"I don’t believe in working things out through the courts.

"We have already spoken to the RSPCA and are happy to speak with others about it too, including Mr Pearson,” he says.

Keen to see such a change of mindset as well as management at AWI, Mr Pearson says the out-of-court settlement between PETA and AWI from June 29, 2007, involved a written agreement that mulesing would indeed be phased out before the end of 2010.

However, nowhere in the document does it specifically mention the phasing out of mulesing by this date.

Nevertheless, Mr Pearson says PETA is expecting it.

“I know PETA is worried there may be a lack of commitment towards that date now (2010) and such a move may well be in contempt of court," he says.