FARMERS should look at a recently-released drug and alcohol policy as an opportunity to clarify expectations in the shearing shed and as an added resource on-farm, according to WoolProducers Australia president Richard Halliday, Bordertown.
“A major point from the summit was that we’re not talking about prohibition, we’re talking about when someone is not fit to work,” he said.
“There is an issue with drugs in shearing and I believe the summit showed a will to do something about it.
“I think one of the best ways to tackle the issue is through education. tafeSA has a code of conduct around the behaviour in its shearing school and I think that’s brilliant, it means from day one people know what is expected.”
Mr Halliday said farmers could show shearers the policy when they went onto a farm, or hang it in the shed, as a simple way to address drug and alcohol issues.
“Drugs in shearing is the same as drugs in society, there needs to be an awareness and a desire to do something about it,” he said.
