Breaking the Sheep's Back

by Charles Massy

The 10-billion-dollar collapse of the wool industry is considered one of Australia's biggest business disasters, and for the first time, the shocking true story behind this colossal collapse is revealed. Spanning 170 years from the birth of the industry in 1840 and its boom during the 1950s through its unraveling from 1980 to 1991, this is a searing account of greed, political corruption, and heavy-handed protectionism. As it uncovers the never-before-seen archival sources, government and board papers, and private correspondence and shares exclusive interviews with key whistle blowers, this narrative unveils the gripping true story of government corruption in a seemingly untouchable industry.

Genres: Australia

464 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2011

About the author

Charles Massy gained a Bachelor of Science at Australian National University (ANU) in 1976 before going farming for 35 years and developing the prominent Merino sheep stud “Severn Park”. Concern at ongoing land degradation and humanity’s sustainability challenge led him to return to ANU in 2009 to undertake a PhD in Human Ecology. Charles was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his service as chair and director of a number of research organizations and statutory wool boards. He has also served on national and international review panels in sheep and wool research and development and genomics. Charles has authored several books on the Australian sheep industry, the most recent being the widely acclaimed Breaking the Sheep's Back, which was short-listed for the Prime Minister’s Australian Literary Awards in Australian History in 2012.

Reviews

[Kevin Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. It is written by an “insider” within the Australian sheep and wool industry, almost as if it was written through the lense of a “broken heart”.

It should be required reading for all students of economics, economic history, and government (government policy) here in Australia.

Its lessons are timeless - protectionism almost always ends in tears. It is always costly, and is always a dreadful waste of resources.

There are also lessons in this book for students of democracy - political parties that pander to sectional interests eventually have their day of reckoning.

[Geoffrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

interesting history of recent happenings in sheep & wool in Australia
not an easy book to read as tends to go over details already noted in other chapters