WOOL politics has always been feisty but the board room brawl at Australian Wool Innovation makes past battles look like a Cup Day picnic.
As the board election looms the verbal gloves are off as exchanges fly between two very divided camps.
One includes directors Roger Fletcher, Wal Merriman and Chick Olsson and the other led by AWI chairman Brian van Rooyen.
Candidates, incumbents and supporters have been described as "professional seat polishers" or accused of "improperly leaking information from the board room," and causing "disruption, politicisation and conflict".
Candidate Laurence Modiano would blow R&D funds on advertising, according to current director Ken Boundy, and Geoff Fisken of WoolProducers said Mr Modiano's election would mean Australian wool may no longer be able to be branded Australian.
Another candidate, David Webster, in turn accused WoolProducers and AWI of peddling anti-mulesing propaganda.
If you wanted an image that sums up the wool industry at the moment it's hard to go past this dishevelled Dorper shedding its fleece.
Not a good look.
