Landmark sacks Qld wool agent

Landmark's north east Australia region director, Robert Payne, said Landmark had not been left without a state-based wool representative, as reported by Queensland Country Life on Friday.

"In fact, Landmark has two staff that will service our wool business, Marc McKellar based at our Charleville location and Tim Gregory located at Blackall," Mr Payne said.

A disappointed Mr Lines said in an email to clients last week that a restructure of the Landmark wool business had resulted in his job as wool area manager - Queensland being made redundant.

Landmark's Southern Queensland wool representative Michael Welsh was made redundant mid-year.

It is understood as part of the restructure Landmark wool clients have also been canvassed on warehousing their wool in Dubbo rather than at the Acacia Ridge wool stores in Brisbane.

"As of this very moment, I am longer employed by Landmark/Agrium which is personally very displeasing as I really thought my move from Australian Wool Network three years ago to Landmark would help strengthen the wool job in Queensland and the very clients I represented - whether I was selling your wool or sheep for sale," Mr Lines said in his email.

"Furthermore when I left AWN I genuinely believed Landmark/Agrium cared about the wool industry in Queensland although this restructure has caught me off guard with no notice.

"I need not tell everyone that the sheep and wool industry in Queensland has been struggling but if a big pastoral house company is restructuring and putting off the only primary Queensland based wool area manager I think questions need to be asked.

"Anyway, it is hard to swallow and be positive re: Landmark/Agrium but I'll move on, as I've grown up in this industry and it will take more to stop me from working with Merinos in Queensland.

"Although if I can say my apologies to those clients that I have moved from other wool brokers to Landmark I thought we were a part of a stronger team and network that cared for the wool industry.

"It has been a pleasure working with you all and I hope to see all again soon maybe in a similar capacity."

Mr Lines said he was considering returning to his former career in shearing and woolclassing.

NOTE: The original version of this story published on Friday December 5 mistakenly reported that Mr Lines was the sole Qld-based Landmark/Agrium wool industry representative and that his redundancy left the state without a wool agent. We apologise for the error.