Australia’s new peak wool body chair believes good, consistent behaviour and good outcomes will return growers’ confidence in Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).
Collette Garnsey (OAM) was appointed as chair of AWI last Friday after the resignation of long-standing chairman, Wal Merriman.
Ms Garnsey brings with her 39 years of experience in retail, wholesale, distribution and marketing sectors. She has served on a CSIRO advisory board and joined the AWI board in 2010.
She took up the role of deputy chairwoman in 2017 and is the first woman to chair AWI.
Ms Garnsey said the organisation’s highest priority would continue to focus on the arrangements outlined in the organisation's three-year plan, as well as responding to the recommendations of the independent review of performance (ROP).
Ms Garnsey said she expected Mr Merriman’s legacy to be deep-seeded.
“History will judge Mr Merriman differently than this relatively minor time in all of his years on the board,” Ms Garnsey said.
“The last 12 months have been difficult, yet the growers are doing well.
“As the dust settles and history looks back over Wal’s contribution to this industry, they will see how profound and beneficial it has been to so many people.
“It was Wal’s vision to market Australian wool to the best retailers, and the world’s best brands.
“He was the one that put together that strategy to allocate that large portion of AWI’s budget every year to those initiatives. He put Australian Merino wool on the world map.”
She is confident AWI’s success in marketing wool abroad will continue to thrive.
Referring to the levy money paid by woolgrowers, Ms Garnsey said the current split will remain unchanged.
“Sixty per cent marketing and 40pc research and development – I see no reason to change it,” she said.
“The growers voted to change it and since that decision, it has put an even greater kicker into the market.
“But once again that was Wal’s idea to move the levy from 50 – 50 to 40 – 60, and it has paid off.”
Ms Garnsey, who spent much of her younger years at family sheep properties between Tilpa and Trangie in far western NSW, believes there is no one reason for prices rising or falling, but confidence is always going to be a factor.
“Potentially, with all the issues in our industry, that has had an impact on confidence,” Ms Garnsey said.
“But it is never one thing, there is always multiple factors and reasons for prices going up and prices going down.”
But Ms Garnsey told Fairfax Agricultural Media that she convinced the image of AWI will bounce back.
“I think AWI is a profoundly good organisation and the ROP revealed there was absolute probity in all of it’s actions and undertakings,” she said.
“Our highest priority going forward will be responding to and actioning those 82 recommendations from the ROP.
“This change, perhaps renewal, has the opportunity for us to perhaps talk about things in a new way.
“We will tread our own path. We like to be humble to our growers and proud when we are representing our company to external people.
“I think that good consistent behaviour and good consistent outcomes for growers will certainly give the confidence in AWI.”
This change, perhaps renewal, has the opportunity for us to perhaps talk about things in a new way
- Colette Garnsey, AWI chair
Ms Garney said Mr Merriman’s move to stay on as a director was his decision.
“Mr Merriman will continue to serve the wool industry in his capacity as director,” she said.
“He is committed to ensuring its smooth transition and to working through the change.
“That, to me, speaks volumes about the integrity and the character of the man.
“But ultimately it is going to be the shareholders of AWI who will decide if they want Mr Merriman to carry on as a director.”
Mr Merriman will remain on as a director of AWI for at least another year, at which point his position will be up for re-election at an annual general meeting in November 2019.