Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to honour my long-time friend Mr Bob Hall from the small town of Darkan. He was recently recognised in the Queen's Birthday honours list for five decades of service to the WA wool industry and agricultural sector. At 84, Bob has an impressive resume of professional and community achievements. Bob arrived from Yorkshire in the 1960s and brought with him his love of family, sheep and cricket.

Bob has worked tirelessly as an agricultural consultant across generations to improve sheep production and farming practices, particularly through the adoption of objective measurement in sheep performance. He was integral in co-founding the Yardstick Central Sire Evaluation Scheme and the Federation of Performance Sheep Breeders Western Australia. He was a founding member of the Australian Merino Society. Bob has also spent time as President of the Australian Association of Farm Management Consultants, is a fellow of the Australian Ag Institute and helped drive the abolition of the Australian Wool Corporation's reserve price scheme in 1991.

Further to his professional achievements, Bob co-authored a book titled Sheep: The Simple Guide To Making More Money With Less Work. He compered and helped produce content for two four-part ABC television series titled The Sheep's Back and TheSheep Machine and has shared his knowledge by participating in lecture tours throughout Australia.

Regional towns such as Darkan are privileged to have people like Bob, who not only hold impressive qualifications which promote and expand local industry but are equally committed to the success of their local community. Bob, for your service of many years to the Darkan community and to the most famous wool industry in the world, thank you.