Principal of a large family farming enterprise.

Q: What specific skills do you add to the board?

W: Fearless in making and applying hard decisions.

The ability to extract maximum effort from people.

The ability to bond a team together with loyalty and a will to succeed.

Shareholders will get a very direct and honest answer.

Q: Why should growers trust you on your corporate track record?

W: Simply apply integrity and honesty to all, particularly those you represent, and those who pay.

Q: What is your assessment of AWI and what would you change (if anything)?

W: AWI has become an inert bureaucratic mass. You cannot see the honey pot for the bees. The result, spin doctoring trying to make themselves look good rather than be good. Urgently strip excessively high overheads evident in many areas. Refocus the company onto direct benefiting of levie payers (sell wool profitably).

Q: What is your definition of conflict of interest at board level?

W: Definition of conflict. A board member who benefits directly or indirectly financially from the company without declaration and tabling of that interest. Conversely should a director become aware of activities by the board, members of the board or executives of the company that are detrimental to the interests of the shareholders then that director is obligated to speak out(this has been evident with AWI directors over the last year or so).

Q: What is your stance on mulesing?

W: I will vigorously defend the rights of farmers who choose to continue mulesing in the best interest of their animals irrespective of 2010, in the absence of a viable alternative. Continue the search for a substitute to mulesing whilst being cognisant of maintaining merino wool production.