HISTORY

Australia officially became an International Wool Textile Organisations (IWTO) member-country in January 1959, following the IWTO Council’s approval of Associated Woollen & Worsted Textile Manufacturers of Australia (AWWTMA) as the Australian member-organisation.  IWTO formally approved the transfer of this role to the Wool Textile Manufacturers of Australia (WTMA) in 1961, when AWWTMA was disbanded.

It was not until 1965 that the Australian Wool Board (AWB), represented by Mr S.S. Nevile, encouraged the WTMA to consider creating an Australian National Committee (ANC) that would be more broadly representative of the Australian wool industry.

Following a series of meetings with other trade sectors and AWTA, a Provisional ANC of IWTO was formed on 27th August 1965, with a membership comprising:

  • Wool Textile Manufacturers of Australia (WTMA);

  • Australian Council of Wool Buyers (ACWB);

  • Australian Knitting Industries Council (AKIC);

  • Wool Scourers, Carbonisers & Fellmongers Federation of Australia (WSCFFA); and

  • Australian Wool Board (AWB).

Mr S.S. Nevile and Mr H.K. Lay, who were both representatives of the AWB, were appointed as the first Chairman and  Secretary, respectively.

This Provisional ANC determined that, under the IWTO Statutes, AWTA’s link with Government would prevent it from also being a member.  However, it did decide to appoint an AWTA executive as its representative on any technical committees dealing with wool testing issues.  These grounds for AWTA’s exclusion were validated in January 1966, when the IWTO Management Committee reviewed the Provisional ANC’s application to replace WTMA as the Australian member and decided that the Statutory AWB must not be part of the ANC membership.  Despite verbal assurances from Sir William Gunn that AWB would immediately initiate the formal steps to withdraw, the IWTO Council deferred consideration of the application until this action had actually occurred.

During this period of delay, the Sheepskin Export Packers Association of Australia (SEPAA) became a member of the Provisional ANC.

The Australian National Committee of IWTO officially came into existence on 17th June 1966, when the IWTO Council Meeting in Estoril, Portugal, finally approved its membership application.

Subsequently, 2 Foundation Members withdrew, namely, SEPAA in 1968 and AKIC in 1970.

The Federal Council of Private Treaty Wool Merchants (FCPTWM) and The National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia (NCWSBA) became Members in 1972 and 1975, respectively.

In 1995, following enabling amendments to the ANC’s Constitution, Australian Wool Testing Authority Ltd (AWTA Ltd), Australian Wool Exchange Ltd (AWEX) and Wool Council of Australia (WCA) all became full Voting Members of ANC.

The ANC Constitution was again updated in September 1997 and, at the same time, provision was made for service companies and other organisations willing to participate in IWTO activities to become Non-voting Associate Members.  The first to take up such membership later that year were the CSIRO Division of Wool Technology, the Co-operative Research Centre for Premium Quality Wool, and the WA Wool Strategy Group.

In 1999, The Australian Superfine Wool Growers’ Association Inc joined the ANC as Associate Members, followed in 2000 by Australian Wool Handlers and  SGS Australasia.

The official name of the organisation was changed on 3rd November 2000 to Federation of Australian Wool Organisations.

During 2001, both Australian Wool Innovation Ltd and The Woolmark Company became Associate Members and AgWA replaced Wool Strategy Group.

Following the closure of WCA, the new group known as WoolProducers was accepted as a full Voting Member in 2002.

A further 2 Associate Members have since been admitted, namely, the Victorian Department of Natural Resources & Environment in 2002 and Interactive Wool Group in 2003.

(Prepared by Mr D.J. Ward OAM and presented to FAWO at the Annual General Meeting held on 8th August 2003)

 

CHAIRMEN TERM SERVED SECRETARY TERM SERVED

Sandford S. Nevile 1965-1968 Harold K. Lay 1965-1968

C. Roy Nichols OBE 1968-1975 Harold K. Lay 1965-1975

Sandford S. Nevile 1975-1976 Harold C. Linton (VCM) 1975-1976

Sandford S. Nevile 1976-1981 Leo R. Dobbin (VCM) 1976-1981

John A. Michell 1980-1984 Karen Beildeck (VCM) 1981-1984

Graham W. Duncan 1984-1985 Sue L. McCulloch (VCM) 1984-1985

Graham W. Duncan 1985 Kevin J. Perrott (Acting) 1985

Graham W. Duncan 1985-1986 Louise Jamson 1985-1986

Ian C. Macauley 1986-1988 Louise Jamson 1986-1988

John A. Holmes 1988-1990 Louise Jamson 1988-1990

John A. Michell 1990-1992 Louise Jamson 1990-1992

I. David Alexander 1992-1995 Louise Jamson 1992-1995

Robert J. Quirk 1995-1998 Louise Jamson 1995-1998

Robert J. Quirk 1998-1999 Pam Dunlop (Acting) 1998-1999

David J. Ward OAM 1999-2003 Peter D. Morgan 1999-2003

Michael R.Lempriere 2003-2005 Peter D. Morgan 2003-2005

John W. Lewis 2005-2009 Peter D. Morgan 2005-2009

John W. Lewis 2009-2010 Bianca R. Heaney 2009-2010

Robert M. Ryan OAM 2010-2017 Bianca R. Heaney 2010-2017

David Michell 2017 Bianca R. Heaney 2017