IT DOESN'T matter who wins the vote - the problems of the wool industry won't be solved overnight, says Australian Wool Innovation chairman Brian van Rooyen.

Mr van Rooyen's remarks follow what has been one of the fiercest campaigns for control of the AWI board.

The vote will be decided at AWI's annual meeting in Perth today.

Mr van Rooyen is leading a team of five incumbents seeking re-election.

All five, including Dr Chris Abell, Robyn Clubb, Ken Boundy and Dr John Keniry were originally appointed or elected to the AWI board as independent skills-based directors.

They are being challenged by a team of five candidates - UK wool processor Laurence Modiano, pediatrician and developer of the pain-relief treatment Tri-Solfen, Dr Meredith Shiel and three stud Merino breeders and wool growers, George Falkiner, Will Roberts and David Webster.

The challengers, who are being backed by the Australian Wool Growers Association, oppose the 2004 industry commitment to cease surgical mulesing from the end of 2010.

If two of the five challengers are successful they will join AWI board members Roger Fletcher, Wal Merriman and Chick Olsson - who are likewise opposed to the mulesing deadline - to win control of the nine-member board.

Both camps are predicting a close vote.

The challengers are expected to garner strong support from wool growers who believe the mulesing deadline is too onerous and that more should be done to promote the animal welfare aspects of using a pain-relief treatment.

The recent collapse in the wool market was also expected to help the challengers' vote.

The incumbents are being supported by WoolProducers and its state affiliates, plus the powerful West Australian Pastoral and Graziers Association.

The respective state on-farm focus groups have also expressed support for the incumbents.

But while the organisations might be of one mind, all contain an independent membership whose vote can't be assumed.

Mr van Rooyen said in the current wool market and the uncertainty in the global financial markets, now was not the time to change the AWI board.

AWGA chairman Martin Oppenheimer said a vote for the challengers would bring unity.