WITH just three days of voting left, only 29.43pc 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.
The poll closes at 5pm EST this Friday, November 6.
In mid-October, when only 11.3pc of growers had voted, WoolPoll chair Will Roberts warned: “If you’re an Australian woolgrower and you care about the future of this industry, then get voting now. Time is running out.”
So there’s been a sprint since then.
But the WoolPoll slogan – "Stop Bleating, Start Voting" – hasn't lifted the turnout to any where near a majority of eligible wool growers.
Foremost in the mind of the WoolPoll orgnanisers with this low vote, no doubt, is the New Zealand experience. In September, just 39pc of NZ sheep producers voted, and a majority of those voted for a zero levy.
Among the states, WoolPoll responses, ranked in order, percentage votes to date are:
Qld: 35.93pc.
SA: 30.40pc.
WA: 30.37pc.
NSW: 29.56pc.
Vic: 27.61pc.
Tas: 25.93pc.
In the Northern Territory, just two of eight eligible growers have voted. From overseas, one eligible owner has voted out of six registered voters.
The current levy stands at 2pc. Proposed levy rates being polled are 3pc, 2.5pc, 2pc, 1pc and 0pc.
Voter information kits were sent to eligible growers in late September.
Growers can still vote either via fax or on the WoolPoll website, www.woolpoll.com.au.
Under the Wool Services Privatisation Act 2000, AWI is required to run a poll of woolgrower levy payers every three years.
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