'Forget the sugar hit': Producers plead Dubbo council to keep the saleyards

Dubbo Regional Council, which currently owns the facility, moved to open expressions of interest for its sale or lease during a closed session in the March 21 ordinary meeting.

Of the nine councillors present, two voted against the motion.

Dubbo Regional Council mayor Mathew Dickerson said good interest from experienced saleyard operators had been received through the expression of interest process.

Ranked by Meat and Livestock Australia as the top selling centre in NSW for cattle and third in the state for sheep during the 2022/23 national saleyard survey, the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets contributes $60 million dollars to the city's economy.

Several producer representatives from Warren to Wellington addressed the Dubbo Regional Council on Thursday May 23 to voice their concerns.

Speaking at the meeting, Egelabra Merino stud director and co-owner, John Kater, Gillawarrina Ag, said he was in disbelief and bewildered by council's proposal.

"I feel in both communication and representation in this matter we have been let down," he said.

"This financial year we have sold 408 head or 55 per cent of cattle sales and 12,500 head or 46pc of our sheep sales through the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets.

"We bring stock in from Coolabah, Nyngan, Warren and Trangie areas and in the process support and use businesses in Dubbo paying for and taking home with us services and goods.

"For someone to lease or purchase the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets they would only do so to make a large profit, it is therefore likely that selling costs to producers such as myself will undoubtedly increase.

"In such a scenario, as a livestock producer, where it becomes cheaper and more cost efficient to sell my livestock elsewhere, such as the Forbes livestock markets, I will without hesitation support the businesses in their town instead of Dubbo."

NSW Farmers' Wellington branch secretary Andrew Martel, Wellington, said he was most concerned about the lack of consultation.

"You haven't spoke to the farmers, stock agents, your own saleyard's committee or livestock transporters," he said.

"The saleyard is both an infrastructure and service to agriculture and agriculture is the industry that has allowed Dubbo to exist and grow as a city.

"I understand the sale would give the council a once-off sugar hit to balance their budget, but we would argue that a regular income is far better in the long term for rate payers.

"The better the conditions for agriculture, the better Dubbo will thrive."

Fourth generation farmer Robert Shanks, Dubbo, was also frustrated by the lack of transparency from council to producers.

"The saleyards were acquired by amalgamation of the Talbragar shire 40 years ago at absolutely no cost to the Dubbo council," he said.

"It is centrally located for livestock transport and is adjacent to one of the biggest throughput abattoirs in Australia. Why would the ratepayers want council to sell such a productive asset."

NSW Farmers' Wellington branch president Peter Carter, Wellington, said he believed the potential privatisation was wrong.

"If you manage to sell the yards, what's next, the showgrounds or the race track," he said.

"This is the first step and I'm very concerned about it."

Producer Greg Kilby, Dubbo, has owned 14 properties within a 200 kilometre radius of Dubbo and regularly used the saleyards.

"If a private company purchases the saleyards, they could shift the sale of the livestock to their other centres," he said.

"They may even pull the saleyards down and build houses."

Livestock Bulk Rural Carriers Association committee member Garry Todd, Gollan, has carted livestock and other commodities for local farmers for more than two decades.

"Over the years I've carted hundreds and hundreds of stock for producers in the Gollan and Wellington area," he said.

"All of the livestock bulk carriers want the saleyards to stay as they are. We back all the farmers and agents."

Dubbo Stock and Station Agents Association president Martin Simmons asked councillors to consider one thing when presented with the outcome of the expression of interest process during the next meeting.

"If an entity comes forward with a large purchase price for the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets, which they will, I want you to think about why," he said.

"Why would someone be willing to outlay such a large sum of money to purchase a council asset which has supposedly been costing council money over the last four years.

"Rather than jump at the dollars, I would ask you to seriously consider the potential of the Dubbo Regional Livestock Markets."

Dubbo Regional Council mayor Mathew Dickerson said a number of council's facilities and services were currently undergoing reviews.

"The expression of interest allows council to understand the market to inform future decisions, noting one of the other options includes maintaining a council delivered service with changes to operations," Cr Dickerson said.

"Council want the livestock markets to be a financially self-sufficient commercial asset, while maintaining legislative compliance.

"We have received good interest from experienced saleyard operators and a report will be provided back to council regarding these."

Cr Dickerson said the Dubbo Regional Livestock Market service review program was tabled with the Dubbo Regional Livestock Market advisory committee in December 2022.

The advisory committee comprises of user representatives from across the livestock industry.

A report from the expression of interest process will be provided to council prior to any further decision making.