TOP SIRE 2026–2027 HALL OF FAME by August 1990, with the Wool Corporation buying 65% of wool catalogues, leading to a legislated 25% wool tax. By 3 December 1990, the government endorsed a sheep reduction scheme where they paid $1.80 per head to growers to voluntarily dispose of sheep to reduce the national flock by 20 million, resulting in 11 million sheep being slaughtered. By this time, the wool industry was managing two wool clips: what was being freshly shown, plus the major quantities of stockpiled fibre the Wool Corporation was trying to unload. By early 1991, with the government no longer willing to underwrite the Wool Corporation debt, the Reserve Price Scheme was discontinued. With the industry no longer supported by the Reserve Price Scheme, significant industry restructuring ensued. The disposal of the 4.7 million bale stockpile caused major market distress, with prices plummeting from 1269c/kg to a historical low of 381c/kg by 1993. On the back of the Ross Garnaunt report tabled in 1993 the Australian Wool Realisation Commission (AWRC) was formed to manage the stockpile sales through a schedule of 90,000 bales per quarter. The dumping of large quantities of stockpiled wool on the market led to tremendous strain on grower returns. In response, a grower-led campaign was initiated with Ross Wells at the forefront. Ross Wells, along with Chris Bowman, then manager of Uardry stud and an NSW SMBA councillor and today the classer of Willandra, moved a motion among the NSW SMBA Council that would challenge Wool International’s reckless selling manner. Despite initial resistance and the claim that NSW SMBA was not a political organisation, the motion was passed by councillors. Ross and Chris, along with Carol-Ann Malouf acting as secretary, then set about lobbying all the major players in the industry. Ross, as those who know him can confirm, was a tenacious advocate and didn’t back down when confronted by opposing views. Ross worked his phones day and night, gaining key allies in David Webster from Western Australia, Peter Laird from Hillston, who was chair of Australian Wool Growers Association (AWGA), and a supportive Peter Austin, editor of The Land newspaper. An advertising campaign throughout the rural newspapers outlined the proposal and meetings were organised across the country to rally wool growers to the cause. At these events, growers were asked for contributions to help fund the campaign. Various professional agripoliticians would express their views, though not always in favour, but the momentum was on Ross and his allies’ side. With the noise of the industry growing louder, the campaign transitioned to the political arena, where it was most crucial since they had the legislative power to implement changes. Meetings were held with John Anderson, then Minister for Agriculture, and other government bureaucrats who believed they could handle bush advocates. The struggle continued, leading to another roundtable meeting where Ian MacLachlan, cabinet minister and major wool grower, attended. Ross recalls Ian listened to the arguments without offering any opinions, then left. Ross remembers leaving the meeting feeling frustrated and told David Webster that he was through with meetings. Before leaving Canberra, however, things had taken a major turn. While on his way out of the city, Ross recalls hearing a radio news flash that announced Ian MacLachlan had moved in Parliament to freeze the stockpile and he yelled, “You beauty Ian!”. Peter Laird remembered receiving calls from Ian MacLachlan, Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer and Prime Minister John Howard that day. As an industry, we owe Ross and his industry colleagues a great deal for their efforts in this fight. Ross believed the NSW SMBA earned itself a reputation as a credible industry advocate through this period. Eventually, the stockpile was liquidated and a small divided was paid out to remaining shareholders. With stockpile issues resolved, life was expected to return to normal, however, another significant challenge emerged for the Merino stud industry. The discovery of Ovine Johne’s Disease (OJD) in a few flocks in the New South Wales Tablelands region in early 1980s posed serious implications for the sector. In response, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) approached the NSW SMBA to request flock testing of studs. Although there was initial support for this initiative, the lived experience was to be quite different. Testing in stud flocks for the wasting disease took place, leading to the establishment of the Market Assurance Scheme in 1997. As testing began, several stud flocks returned one positive result, prompting the DPI to insist on whole flock eradication without compensation. Additionally, zones were designated across the state, with some areas considered free of disease and others with trading restrictions. This situation created a divide in the sheep breeding world, pitting those who benefited from free trade against those whose livelihoods were restricted – or even lost. In response to this conflict, Ross and other stud breeders worked to overturn the NSW SMBA motion which had supported the previous scheme. They instead advocated for a system of risk-based trading with the use of vaccination. It was a hard, lengthy fight but ultimately successful with vaccinated trading becoming policy in 2002. Ross went on to serve the NSW SMBA as President from 1998 to 2000. On completion of his term, the late Stuart Beveridge OAM was to record the following vote of thanks, “I would like to congratulate Mr. R.W. Wells on the completion of his final year in office. He has become known as the “old war horse” and he certainly has been over the three years of his term. He has been the driving force and inspiration – 44 –
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