ABOUT WIA

Wool Industries Australia Inc (WIA) is an association of Australian organisations engaged, either directly or via the provision of associated services, in the production, selling, merchanting, processing, spinning, weaving, testing and research & development of wool and allied fibres.

WIA is the Australian National Committee for the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO). IWTO is the only international and genuinely independent organisation that is the custodian of world wool trade and industry regulations since 1927. Its mission is to confirm wool as the world’s sustainable and accessible premium fibre for use in applications from high end fashion through to healthy and safe interiors. Each year approximately 95% of wool produced in Australia is exported overseas.

IWTO holds, as it were, the book of rules for all matters pertaining to the trading of wool and this ranges from testing through to contracts and terms of trade including dispute resolution. On the Australian scene, WIA covers the more detailed local issues such as wool clip preparation and standards, sales and all matters through to animal health and welfare issues and providing support to Australian Government Departments.

WIA Organisational Chart

Members

With virtually all industry sectors as members, WIA can also be regarded as the peak wool industry body in Australia. WIA Members include:

• Australian Council of Wool Exporters & Processors Inc.

• Australian Superfine Wool Growers’ Association Inc.

• Australian Wool Exchange

• AWH Pty Ltd

• Australian Wool Innovation

• Australian Wool Testing Authority

• National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia

• Robotic Vision

• WoolProducers Australia

• University of New England

All sectors need to work together and WIA creates this opportunity for members to come together and present an Australian united position.

Purpose

The purposes of WIA are to foster the interests of the Raw Wool and Wool Textile trade and industry in Australia, to preserve and improve its reputation internationally, and to promote the interests of its Members generally by :

1. maintaining connections within the wool industry both in Australia and overseas;

2. representing the wool industry when deemed appropriate;

3. promoting and supporting or opposing measures affecting the wool industry;

4. encouraging manufacturers and retailers to maximise the use of wool and products of the wool textile industry;

5. acting as the Australian Member of IWTO in furtherance of the objects of IWTO;

6. ensuring the functioning of the International Wool Textile Arbitration Agreement in wool production and in the wool textile trade and industry;

7. collecting and disseminating statistical and other information of interest to woolgrowers and to the wool textile trade and industry;

8. overseeing the development and correct application of scientific Test Methods and Regulations among its membership; and

9. generally doing all such things as may be conducive to the attainment of any of the above

Functions

WIA has such functions as are conducive to the achievement of any of its objects as set out above and, in particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall have the following functions as and when agreed by its Members, namely:

1. To act as the representative body for the Australian wool industry on specific issues.

2. To provide a forum for discussion of wool industry issues and

3. To confer and cooperate with any international statutory and/or industry wool organisations, research organisations, other relevant organisations and governments, in relation to relevant matters affecting or concerning the Australian wool

4. To disseminate information, reports and other documents of interest to

5. To communicate and consult with Members in a timely manner in relation to all areas of representation.

6. To appoint Delegates and nominate Observers to Meetings of

7. To arrange and supervise arbitration of disputes in

8. To liaise with Standards Australia on Standards relevant to the wool industry in Australia, and may find application

9. To encourage Australian wool testing laboratories to seek accreditation listing by IWTO.

10. To ensure that confidence is maintained in the application of efficient wool testing standards, by encouraging:

    • the independent auditing of

    • the full-time supervision of sampling operations.

As a Member of the IWTO, WIA shall accept and adhere to the Statutes of IWTO, the "Arbitration Agreement and Other International Agreements" (known as the IWTO Blue Book), and the IWTO Regulations relating to the application of IWTO Test Methods.