SHEEP industry leaders are refusing to release a consultant's report on the state of the National Livestock Identification System.
While the long-awaited report has been funded by contributions from state governments, industry will not release the 200-page report to the wider sheep community.
The report, by Canberra-based consultants The CIE, is believed to have cost about $100,000, but has failed to deliver a definitive path forward for the much-troubled NLIS for sheep and goats.
About 25 industry and government representatives were briefed in Canberra last week and it is believed the report will be assessed by members of Safemeat and the Primary Industries Standing Committee.
The NLIS sheep and goat advisory committee, a subcommittee of Safemeat, has been given a copy of the report for its feedback.
Safemeat secretary Ed Klim said the terms of reference for the report "didn't ask for a recommendation" and would not be made public.
"The report was to look at options and alternatives (to the current NLIS sheep and goats)," he said.
"It came up with five different options and there is a difference in the costs of these options, but it is not as simple as looking at the cost."
The options range from enhancing the current visual mob-based system to implementing full electronic identification.
One industry source said the report did not make any clear recommendation.
"The option of making enhancements to the current system shows that there would need to be significant input from the state governments if it was to work. And on that assumption, EID (electronic identification devices) would be the way to go," the source said.
Department of Primary Industries' Dr Tony Britt said the report would be discussed at a sheep and goat identification committee meeting next month.
