Home » Podcast » Hugh Dawson, outspoken advocate for the Northern Australian agricultural industry

Hugh Dawson, outspoken advocate for the Northern Australian agricultural industry

 

 

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Hugh Dawson who was the Overall Winner in the 2021 Northern Australian Young Achiever Awards.

Hugh Dawson is the Head Stockman at Beetaloo Station in the Northern Territory. Hugh is an outspoken advocate for the northern Australian agricultural industry and is an Alumni member of the Northern Territory Cattleman’s Association Future Leaders Program. Now actively involved in the Young Livestock Exporters Network as well as The Livestock Collective, Hugh is passionate in improving the public perception of the wider agricultural community as well as promoting the opportunities and benefits of a career in Agriculture in Australia. In addition to this, Hugh has stepped into a role as an ambassador for charity organisation Sober in the Country as he looks to raise awareness around mental health particularly in rural Australia.

 

In this episode:

  • We hear about Hugh’s focus on the low stress handling of livestock
  • We also learn about how managing livestock has changed, especially working on such a big station and how he sometimes feels like John Wayne in a helicopter!
  • Hugh tells us his honest story about alcohol and how he is now an Ambassador for charity organisation Sober in the Country

Links

Connect with Hugh on LinkedIn

Connect with Hugh on Instagram

To find out more about The Livestock Collective: www.thelivestockcollective.com.au

To find out more about Sober in the Country: www.soberinthecountry.org

 

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Transcript 

Annette

Welcome to the Inspirational Australian’s podcast, where we chat to people making a difference in their communities and in the lives of others. And here’s your host today, Geoff Griffin.

Geoff

Welcome to the inspirational Australian’s podcast stories of inspiring achievements and community contribution. Every week we will celebrate an award program category, winner or finalists. We hope you’ll be inspired and encouraged to know that Australia is in good hands, together with our corporate partners and not for profit partners, Awards Australia, showcase ordinary people from across Australia doing extraordinary things. If you enjoy hearing the stories of our inspirational Australians, please subscribe, rate us and review us. We really appreciate it.

I’m very excited to chat with this week’s podcast guest. Hugh Dawson is only twenty-three, but is an advocate and change maker in the multi-million-dollar livestock industry. In May, he won the 2021 Colman’s Contracting and Earthmoving Agricultural Award in the Young Achiever Awards. Welcome to the podcast, Hugh.

Hugh

Thank you very much for having me, Geoff. It’s a, it’s a real honor to be on board with the seventh most listened to podcast in Australia now.

Geoff

I know that’s pretty awesome, isn’t it? We’re very happy with that. And it’s a good thing to be able to make a difference in people’s lives and to tell people stories like yours. So yeah, we’re pretty excited. Good to have you on board and I have to say people can’t see you or for that matter because this is really only an audio, but you were looking a little bit more dressed up, a bit more fancy on that. I was not, I do remember you being all dolled up. We’re not quite in that frame now. So I almost didn’t recognize you up at night. Just kidding. I think it’s fair to say that you’ve really packed a whole lot into your life so far. What initially sparked your interest in the livestock industry?

Hugh

Yeah, you’re right Geoff, I suppose, to give people a little bit of perspective. I’ve been in the Northern territory now for this is my sixth year. I grew up in Adelaide. So, it’s quite striking contrast when you consider the country and the, the yes, the timber down there. But we had, I get in trouble for calling it a hobby farm, but it really is that two hundred and fifty acre I think and we had a few cows. I was interested in communispace, my dad’s a winemaker. And so, and as put you in, McLaren vale, which was one, beautiful, one origin. So, I think, yeah, that was certainly that, that very early interest in the primary industries. But as a result, got lighter through my schooling. I suppose. I took a keen interest in chemistry and physics and math, so I probably had to work a lot harder the latter of the two. But that was subject to I enjoyed a fair and extremely rewarding. And I think with interest in those subjects, as I went through career counseling, I was probably quite rightly directed towards engineering and project management. I remember that too, that popped up quite frequently. But as I got, I suppose towards the end of year 12, as were about to step out into the world. I’d been, I know I hadn’t been accepted at that stage, but I’d applied for electrical engineering at Adelaide University, science at Melbourne University. And I just remember at the time it didn’t seem like a good fit for me. I wasn’t ready to go to university. I knew in my heart that I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And I think you hear me as a school you hear about people going and doing so, I thought well, a gap year might bea pretty good idea. And it was my uncle Jonah who had done four years on a property called Clear Springs in Holbrook. And that’s New South Wales, so I thought, well, if I go to, I would be doing for years and I can’t get in too much trouble for doing one year. But I want it to go further away from home. I want it to go further away from Adelaide, is it can it can be quite cliquey. It’s a little bubble. And I thought I went to the Northern territory is a pretty, that’s quite a long way from home. I’ll set my sights there. And so, through a quite a long lens to get the, Beetaloo Station was one that came up. And I put in an application and I was successful in my application. And, and the next thing I was sitting on a plane sitting down and I was sitting in the Darwin central hotel. And I was thinking, what have I got myself into here? I had no idea. I had no idea about Northern agriculture. I’d really to be fair, I didn’t have much of an idea about agriculture. Even given my, my early introduction to it. So, I sort of fell in the deep end, Geoff and I was there and it was sink or swim. That was sort of my first involvement with Northern AG really.

Geoff

How long did it take? You know, you’re in Darwin, you arrived in Darwin. You right, a little different to Southern Adelaide and making wine. And if we give you your dad’s winery or wine making, this will be applied, we get a free bottle of wine, or is that out of the question, which is something up until. You arrive in Darwin and I have to say Beetallo Station, Beetaloo is a very cool name. Now when you apply there, you know, it sounds almost tropical, but you’re sitting in Darwin, how far away is Beetaloo Station from Darwin City?

Hugh

Yeah, so it’s the battle is between, it’s almost smack bang between in Darwin and Alice Springs. So, if you were to draw a line between Darwin and Alice and, and draw up a painting the middle where about 40 kilometers off the bit I didn’t have a car, obviously I’m flying to Darwin. So, I was looking down the barrel of an 11-hour bus ride on and bus to get to Elliott, which is our nearest little town. And it’s a service station really in a and a post office. So, I had an 11-hour bus ride to sit there and reflect on what I’d done and, and yeah, to, to give you a bit more on that, Beetaloo was a station that was developed by a man named John Dunnicliffe. And he had the foresight to put water where a country was being underutilized, and it featured on landline and that is something we can touch on later. But it was when I started doing a little bit of research early on Beetaloo that I saw this development. I thought, well, if I’m going to spend a year anywhere, I want to be on a property that’s I suppose, paving the way for or leading the game. And I thought that if I can learn as muchout of that system as possible, it standing in good stead some way. I didn’t know what was to come, but I thought even in those early stages I saw the opportunities available there on Beetaloo.

Geoff

Fantastic and I think that puts in perspective how big Northern Territory is, not should say right up front. I love the territory, I love Darwin, I love being there for our Awards presentation. Judging people in Northern territory is so passionate, they’re so committed to each other to making a difference. And I really love our partner involvements and meeting all of the extraordinary young people that are nominated each year and come from all over the territory for the Awards night. It’s, it’s an extreme privilege to see five hundred people come from across the territory to get together. So, they would not the casino resort, and of course you were there in May. And a large part of that was because your head Stockman at Beetaloo Station and it’s part of the Barkly Pastoral Company. Can you tell us about the stationa bit more and what your role there?

Hugh

Yes, Beetaloo station is essentially a beef breeding operation. So, we operate out of about two point six million acres. So, to put that in perspective, I said my family where I grew up and so I’ll be from that to two hundred and fifty acres. Beetaloo is about ten thousand times the size of that by the time. So massive, massive property and we ran about eighty thousand head of brahman cattle and we ran across of them as well. We supply beef predominantly to countries in Southeast Asia through the live export market. And why that works is our climate is very well suited during the dry season to raise calves. And we’ve got more water than spices where cattle are able to show the normal maternal instinct and go out and raise a calf and bring it back in. But we just don’t have the capacity on these big places in Northern Australia to finish cattle or where you can grow an animal out to the point where it’s fed enough or have enough conditions it to sell. And so, the animals that we sell to Southeast Asia able to go into a feed lot and we finish there. And the interesting thing about the live export industry and why this is such a nice relationship, I think, is a lot of what they’re being fed in the Southeast Asian feed lots is human food waste, which is quite fantastic. So that’s where the cattle go. In terms of my involvement on Beetaloo, I’m the head Stockman, so I will organize our team. We’ll get word from our manager. What the, what the task is for the day or for the week if we’re out on a stock. So often we, we camp up to over one hundred kilometres from the station. We’ll be on our swagsand we won’t have contact with the, with the homestead directly. So, we’ve got a plan and then it’s up to us to go out and it might be to muster a couple of thousand head of cattle and draft them into bonds that sort of to organise them. If you would, into cattle to be sold cattle, to go out and breed or to be watching from, from the cow. So, it’s a pretty diverse role. I’m very lucky. I started, I started flying when I was in 2019. Sorry. So, we’re able to do a little bit of everything. It’s something that I think keeps keep us on our toes. Absolutely. And I think that the challenges available data to young people working on the, to aimless is never, never sort of one day that runs the same as the next. It’s always, it’s always different trials and tribulations if you will, but certainly moments of extremely rewarding circumstances as well.

 

Geoff

I would just say to all of our listeners with this there’s a little bit of a lag there on the Internet a little. But it’s a fascinating story. And I would say if you’rea bit like the John Wayne of Australia being out there and getting these cattle, bringing them back to the ranch, to send this image of John Wayne, John Wayne and as you probably do?

Hugh

I probably can’t ride a horse as good as John Wayne, flat out riding a lawnmower

Geoff

Is there a science to the type of cattle that you would run in a particular region?

Hugh

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that could tie it quite well into how it’s speaking of the relationship we have with Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. So, because we are in quite a tropical climate cattle that would usually be fit for domestic consumption such as a European bridge. There are a lot hairier and they’re not as susceptible as, sorry. They just, they’re not, not, not suited to the tropical climate as what we call syndicalist brains. That have been developed in Asia. We use a ball called a center, which is actually bred in the Caribbean. So yet these, these are animals that are very much suited to Northern Australia. And that’s why they work so well in feedlots in South East Asia. But probably not, not so well suited to Southern Australia. It’s a pretty consistent argument that you should live export happened, why can’t we just say this, these animals being processed in Australia? I think one of the biggest reasons is the fact that Australians would not would not enjoy the product that we produce. The cattle that where we’re breeding here and in Northern Australia typically rendera lot less fat for the meat and that’s something that our customers in Southeast Asia enjoy, they enjoy being able to cook beef that’s a lot leaner by slow cook, whereas we enjoy our prime cuts. We’re getting a bit of steak and we love it’s gota nice fat that’s been marbled through that beef. They can’t cook with that if it falls apart. And so, for us, it’s very much about producing a product that’s going to fit our market in Southeast Asia and one the about enjoy immensely.

Geoff

And that’s really fascinating. I haven’t really thought of beinga novice hadn’t really thought about that. So that’s really quite interesting and fascinating, and you mentioned learning to fly. I’m presuming you’re talking about a Helicopter?

Hugh

Yeah, that’s right. So, we’re very lucky and I think it is something that’s very unique to Northern Australia. I remember when I started on the station the concept of using Helicopters to muster cattle was mind blowing, but I think the more you become immersed in what you’re doing and immerse in these, these larger properties, you quickly realise that we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them. So, in Beetaloo, we’re quite lucky to have a very healthy mix of country. Has a lot of trees, a lot of trees to master and horses or motorbikes, nine percent of the time it’s not feasible. Helicopters have meant that we’re able to have cattle in areas that are otherwise inaccessible, but we’re able to utilise that country just as well asa country that’s more open and more readily accessible. So as a business, we’re able to, to be far more efficient in that sense, we’re making the most of what we’ve got,

Geoff

John Wayne in the Helicopter. Now there’s a different vision, and it is, it is hard to conceive in my mind that you need to master a Helicopter because of the tyranny of distance. I guess if you on a horse, it could be gone from the station for weeks and weeks to do all that you needed to do. Helicopter does seem logical when you explain it that way. And I believe you’re also working ona certificate for an agriculture at our wonderfully supportive CDU to you who are also a sponsor of the Awards.

Hugh

So, I’ve actually actually finished my set for early this year. So, I was working through the time I was nominated and isn’t that a great thing to have available to people working on remote remote cattle stations? I believe if you’re 50 kilometers away from the nearest campus, it’s fully subsidized. So, we don’t pay a cent. And I think it’s fantastic that you can come as I did to do a gap year and still walk away from that year witha qualification. Or if you want to, as I said, you can keep developing that and keep learning and do a certificate. So, I started with a certificate three and then progressed into a four and that’s been fantastic just to be able to, I think keep learning in maybe a different way. I think when you’re on the stage and you know, you’re always learning with your hands, but to be able to keep your mind sharp and to keep thinking about the fundamentals of why you’re doing what you’re doing and to then be able to apply what you’ve learnt from that aid of business or help your team I think it’s great and I think it’sa it’s fantastic that CDU make that make that available to us in the most remote parts of Australia.

Geoff

Absolutely. It’s awesome. What’s the best thing about being outin the middle of nowhere working on the station?

Hugh

Yeah. Well, I think when we spoke a bit about it before we started recording, but in the, in the world we’re living in today. I think we’ve been extremely lucky that for the most part we’ve avoided lockdowns and we’ve been really untouched by the pandemic. It’s been business as usual, so that’s certainly been something that’s been extremely attractive about this year. But there are also things that I enjoy about living and working in remote previously. I’ve always been happy in my own company. So, I wasn’t too worried about being out in the States, but I think there’s a great sense of freedom and adventure that goes with that. And I remember certainly from, from getting out of, I was lucky, I went to a boarding school in Adelaide, but from getting out of boarding school and coming up here and saying the, the space available. And just that, that feeling of freedom again was something that I cherish now and I cherish then and it’s something that I think is really unique to remote Australia. And I think more people would really benefit from experiencing.

Geoff

Just a thought, how many spiders and snakes do you see?

Hugh

I see things and see if you snakes do it again. But it’s up to that. To be honest. Yeah, I have thought about it as much as you have.

Geoff

Probably not too many from the helicopter.

Hugh

Not now, I think I’ll be in trouble with the snakes there.

Geoff

What’s the worst thing about being in a remote location?

Hugh

The worst thing, I think there are certainly challenges that come with it. Communication and I think we again talked about the importance of seeing people face to face. I think there is definitely limited opportunity to do that when you’re in remote Australia. But at the same time, I think if you’re lucky to be working ina place and there are so many places like it, we’ve gota fantastic team around you. You don’t tend to think about it. And the people that this country seems to attract are always very supportive of each other and maybe that’s maybe I’ve been lucky in my own experience, but certainly the way we make everyone is very supportive. AndI don’t think I’ve been able to turn a worst thing about that living out here and working in here to be honest, I try and be positive as I can, but to maybe to, to get to but one challenge more than another. I think it would have to come back to the difficulties in communication and difficulties in communication on this Zoom call. But no, I think it’s something that’s getting better. I think that this is something I’m living at in remote Australia would be the worst. I think it’s the best and I think there’s a lot of other people out there that agree with me. I think one of the biggest challenges might be getting people out here to experience that. But certainly, I’ve only had had a positive experience so far.

Geoff

That’s awesome. How many people live on the station at any one time?

Hugh

Yeah, so we’ve got quitea small team for the size of the station. So, I think there’s only about 12 to 12 to 14 of us. There’s 11 station crew and then we have a couple of contractors working on maintenance. Soyou don’t see a whole lot of people but, but as I said, we work in a really great team. And we’re lucky, I think, to have a really fantastic culture where you know everyone’s day to look at, look at each other and look after each other. So very lucky in that sense, to, to, to always be surrounded by good people, I think.

Geoff

I guess the person who does the cooking would be very important.

Hugh

As they said, I never bite the hand that feeds you. We actually, well, we take turns cooking at the moment. One of the challenges on stations is we, it’s hard to keep station cooks, I’m not sure exactly why yet, but um, but yeah, it’s pretty essential that everyone runs well now our external talents.

Geoff

So, who, who’s turned you not look forward to?

Hugh

Not too much trouble. I said that on Everyone that everyone’s gota few little tricks up their sleeve. It’s actually impressive to see what, what they can whip up.

Geoff

You’re really passionate also about low stress handling of livestock. How did that come about?

Hug

Yeah, so low stress stock handling was something that that Beetaloo was doing before I arrived, I think in twenty fifteen, they’d gone to a man by the name of Jim Lindsay. And so low stress stock is an interesting one. I think it’s; I think there’s maybe a misconception again that, that low stress stock handling is. It’s very slow and it’s very well, it’s very quiet but, but very slow and very inefficient. Why low stress stock handling really excites me is we are working with, with animals that are essentially, while we say them once a year, they might get handled for about five minutes. And when you’re working with wild animals and it’s not there, we’ve got to be real, the cattle being in the ads, it’s not the natural environment.  So that if they’re on the excessive amounts of stress, they’re going to what we, what we call byl up. It’s where it’ll stop, it won’t win them over, they’ll want to charge you. That’s what, that’s what I say is being extremely inefficient. So, if we can avoid that altogether by working with the animal, if we can work in the, the natural instinct of the animal and apply that to our advantage. We’ve seen some massive improvements in the efficiencies of how we’re processing cattle through the yards. And it’s really simple, it’s not, it’s getting, it’s getting right back to basics. So, as I said, you know, if we get frightened, we’d want to run away. But if we trust, if we trust someone we’re more, more willing to, I suppose cooperate. And I think roles are reversed. If a tiger was running at us, I’m sure you’d be like me and ran away as fast as you could. But if we say we’d had previous experience with that tiger and it had been nice to us, we’d be more, I suppose, inclined to stay where we are or not behaving in an erratic manner. It’s the same thing if we can ensure that these animals track movements. And again, we’re applying these movements ina way that is not going to induce excessive stress. It’s going to make everyone’sjob easier. It’s going to be easier on the cattle, the livestock, it’s going to be easier on the humans because you’re not running around like a headless chicken all day. So, something I’d really like to see round up that more. I think if people can start to see that it is extremely efficient and maybe we start to navigate around some of the misconceptions that go with low stress handling. I think we’ll see people stop doing that but it’s a game changer. It’s been, as I said, it’s massively improved the efficiencies that the experience here in Beetaloo and I think at the end of the day, anything we can do to make the animals experiences positive is it can be, is a fantastic thing. And it’s something that I think as an industry, we should pride ourselves on that we are looking at how we can make handling these animals is as, as nice as possible.

Geoff

Well, it is a wonderful thing. It is really important that some secondary benefit that simplifies and eases the process of handling because There’ll be a lot of people very happy to hear. They are focused on this low stress handling tomake life for the livestock is as comfortable as possible. You also were pretty interested in environmental sustainability of range lands grazing. Can you tell usabout that?

Hugh

Yeah, so, and this is something that I think I’ve learnt while I have, I’ve learnt it from being here at Beetaloo and I mentioned earlier, John John Dunnicliffe was a visionary. And then you could say that these huge properties where they weren’t running as many livestock as I could have been, but only because they weren’t using the grass that was there available to them. So, the traditional, I suppose, grazing methods of many stations was, was proving detrimental to, to the country itself. And it was that it’s an incredibly simple idea thought, well, you know, if we put water with this grass, we’re going to be able to use more of the grass because the cattle don’t have to walk as far to, to get a feed. So, in doing that, we’re not over other grazing areas around traditional waters where I would havespread. I heard a lot more and that means we’re leavinga lot of ground cover. So, in a traditional season, after the drossos and we want to have what we say, 30 percent ground cover left. So that when, when we get the first wet season rains, that country will respond to why there’s no scarring. There’s no runoff. Every drop of water counts, and I think that’s so important and I think agriculture right across Australia and indeed the world is looking at that and that regenerative agriculture model filling dams is great, but water in the ground is better. Water in the ground is going to grow grass grassgrowing is going to capture carbon and sequester that in the ground. There’s a massive cycle there that I think we have such an opportunity to supply rolling in Northern Australia. And it’s something that I think’s extremely exciting going forward again across the board in Australian agriculture and agriculture around theworld. And to think that livestock production can play a serious role in reducing greenhouse emissions and assisting in what you could call global cooling. If we can capture more of thiscarbon and sequestered in the ground where it’s usable for again, growing grass and producing more livestock, it’s a, it’sa fantastic cycle. I think that, that we have an opportunity to, to really improve.

Geoff

Simple but very effective and makes good sense to do so much more than just work on the station to go, don’t you? You’re a passionate advocate for the Australian agricultural industry in the broadestsense. Tell us about your involvement with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association Future Leaders’ Program.

Hugh

I was really lucky in 2000, 18 to become involved with the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association Future Leaders’ Program and that was for me probably the first time I saw the opportunities available in Northern Australian agriculture. It went, I suppose my mentality shifted from this being an experience that was to be a gap year and I started to see career opportunities that I’d never seen before. I’d never seen those opportunities through that, that career counseling sessions we’ve done at school. So, all of a sudden, it’s starting to look at, well, maybe, you know, maybe I could actually forge a career and enroll in Australian agriculture in the cattle industry. And I think that was driven from a lot of exposure to key industry leaders.  We did tours up toparliament house and got an insight into how policies are made. Yeah, just having that having that insight into what happened Beyond the farm gate was a massive game changer for me. And more than anything I think triggered a desire to learn more. I wanted to learn more about what is this, what is this industry? And if I’m being honest, probably the only time I’d seen anything about the live export industry was in 2011 when the four corners aired some pretty, pretty horrible footage and so that was what I understood the export industry tobe. So to, to bring it all together I’ve, I’ve got onto a cattle station of saying that animal handling is the front and centre ofwhat we’re doing. I’ve come to understand that a productive animal isa healthy animal. And then I’m saying that there’s so much more of the story that’s being untold. And that’s when I think from the Northern territory Cattlemen’s Association program, I was able to become involved in the livestock exporters network. Then all the, all the pages were sort of coming together and I think it was then I became, it became pretty clear in my mind that there was a pretty strong career to be had in the, in the Northern cattle industry.

Geoff

So, can you tell us a bit more about the exporters network and the livestock collective that you thatyou’re involved with?

Hugh

So, the young livestock exporters network was an initiative set up to connect the supply chain. So, I mentioned from behind the farm gate, if you like, on farm, on the station, there was no involvement with the rest of the supply chain. Instead of wait, we loaded cattle on a truck and that was the end of them. And now is the first year ringing you so you don’t think twice about it, but I did want to learn more, and I think it’s important that even as a first-year ringing, you learn about what happens to those animals after they leave the property. So, the young livestock exporters network connects the supply chain. So, I’m really lucky, I sit on the executive committee there as a producer and, and we’ve got exporter supply chain assurance system managers that are also on thatcommittee. So, we cover from, from paddock to apply if you like, but the plights in Southeast Asia. And so, what we want to do that is to provide the, the opportunities for young ladies in the industry, in whichever I suppose, area of that supply chain to be able to develop their careers further. And to be able to make significant contributions to the future of the livestock exportindustry so that we can continue to see this occur forever, ideally, while that relationship between Australia and those countries in Southeast Asia exists.

So that was the, that was I suppose, that the law of the jungle of exporters network, the livestock collective and how I came to be involved with them. It’s an interesting one. So, as part of my role with morlan, we call it the young love explorers’ network. Those trying to set up a workshop for young leader and something I’ve always believed in is how we can be better using social media. Like it’s, everyone has a fine, almost glued to the palm of their hand. And in, in the age of instant information. I think it’s vital that we are there, those of us with boots on the ground, we’re saying we’re experiencing it. We’re saying that the animal welfare standards in animal handling standards are improving and we need to be there sharing that for everyone to say we need to be transparent. Otherwise, there’s a huge void there for other people to spread misinformation. And we’ve seen that happen already. And so, I was trying to set up a workshop on how it could better utilize social media. And then we’ve got a tap on the shoulder from this organization called the livestock collective. And, and I think Whalen were the first to be involved in the lives of leader’s workshop. And it was interesting because we got down to Perth and the livestock leaders’ workshop, was all that I was trying to, to do and more. And I think again, just about what I was starting to say that these opportunities are out there if you go out and grab them with both hands. And so, we were really lucky to, to learn about multimedia. So be it television, radio, print media, social media, and how we could start to get out there and share that story that, that really organic story and transparent story like a sign for everyone to say. And so, I think with these organisations starting to link together, you know, you’ve got the, the professional development and Wolen, and you’ve got the personal and still professional development in the livestock collective. And we can start to go out there and make a really big difference. And that’s something that I’m extremely excited about. And I think we’re starting to see an improved public perspective and public perception, sorry for the live export industry, especially because it is it’s a red button topic. So, it’s critical that I think these leaders out there in there, I think over one hundred livestock leaders out there. Utilizing the skills, we’ve learnt in the livestock leaders’ workshops and sharing the really positive stories and positive messages coming out of agriculture. And I think that’s a real credit to the directors of the livestock collective at the time in Hollywood, John Cunnington, Steven bult had the foresight to, I suppose bring, bring young industry leaders together and industry leaders and make that happen. So, seeing some really, really positive things coming out of those three organizations.

Geoff

Which is fantastic because the Four Corners report on the ABC did do some damage. I think for Australia’s perception of the cattle industry, particularly the live exporting. And it does sound like there’s a, there’sa real emphasis and effort to educate people as to the reality and how it really is. And do you think we’ve come a long way in that regard?

Hugh

I think it’s a, it’s a work in progress. I think more than I think we just want to make the information available to people so they can make their own informed decisions. We’re not here to try and push an agenda. We’re not going to try and say this is what we’re doing. This is right and they’re wrong. We just want to share what we’re doing in the most transparent light possible, I think. And I think that speaks volumes of itself and I’m pretty sick of activist movements. I think I don’t have a shred of integrity and credibility. We need genuine stories and genuine authentic stories from the real people there and talk about the four corners report. Media should show both sides. It should have some pretty horrific images. And the result of that was the incidental ban of the live export industry, temporary ban. With in the inquiry last year, we saw that that was a decision that was actually illegal that that shouldn’t have happened. But I think that shows what public pressure can do again in a time where instant information is available to everyone. It’s really critical that both sides of the story are then they’re available to get back to the question. We are making some headway, but I think it will take time. It will certainly take time, I think.

Geoff

Yeah. Well, you do know, I’m told that if it’s on social media it must be true. Or if it’s on the exactly it.

Hugh

Yeah. I had, I hada great quote the other day it was if you don’t, if you don’t listen to the news, you’re misinformed. And if you do, you’re really informed or something of that nature. But now I think that the 2011 was a you know, it was detrimental to, to everyone and the livestock export industry. And I think maybe the government of the time, I can’t fully because I wasn’t, I wasn’t here, I was involved, but directly I was more, more a consumer at that stage. But I don’t think anyone realized that there are so many people that work in this industry and that there are real genuine people. I think maybe in the past we’ve been guilty of being a faceless industry because it wasa red button topic. I think it’s really encouraging now to say that people are standing up and saying, no, we are proud of what we’re doing and we should be proud of what we’re doing. And I think as a nation, I think the live export industry is something that we can all be extremely proud of. Because you know, out of what was a disaster, we saw the inception of the exporter supply chain assurance system. So, the exporter supply chain assurance system ensures that we’re upholding the highest animal welfare standards and the control through the entire supply chain. And that we can see where our animals are going and what they’re doing in markets. So, there’s that traceability there. And then there’s also the need for independent auditing.  So, there’s no, there’s no boss. This is, this is what we’re doing. This is entirely transparent. And I think it shows pretty incredible resilience of our industry and of our people in the industry. And it speaks volumes and says, we want to go out there and we want to do better because we believe in what we’re doing and we believe that as a nation, we’re leading the way forwards. We’re putting pressure on countries that aren’t going to uphold the same values in animal welfare and animal standards. And we’re saying countries really receptive to that and that, and it’s lifting of a rising tide lifts all ships. Australia is a nation, is going out there and we’re improving animal welfare standards, animal handling standards globally, which I think is really, really exciting. And again, just an incredible story of resilience from what, what could, , what was, what was a disaster at the time.

Geoff

Well, I think you’ve clearly shown your passion and commitment to the, to the industry at the awards night through your nomination and the information that was presented to the judging panel. So, I think you’re a great role model, an example for the whole community, but certainly the industry. Are there many opportunities for working the cattle and livestock industry?

Hugh

Absolutely Geoff and we are screaming, I think in the, in the agriculture sector more broadly. You look at the opportunities available to go and pick fruit or to work on farms or to come up and work in stations. I think maybe as well as a society and a community, not so much community, but certainly in society. I think we have a solid approach to agriculture. I think we look at AG as just being a farmer, standing in a field wearing a straw hat and overalls holding a pitchfork next to a tractor. There are so many facets of agriculture. There’s a massive emerging technology sector there. There’s the live export industry. That is obviously you’ve got broadacre, cropping and horticulture. There’s no end to it. I think it’s everywhere we look, but we’ve got to make a conscious decision. How we want to be involved in agriculture and I think talking about opportunities to be involved in agriculture, even as a consumer, we can be making decisions. I think that will benefit Australia’s Agricultural Industry. I think even going and doing drugs is looking out for something that’sAustralian. I might be avoiding something that’s produced overseas where it’s a, it’s a, it’s an interesting one because we’re an exportin nation. We sell we; we produce a lot of food and we export a lot of food as a nation. We waste a lot of food as well. So, it’s dumbfounding. I think that we’re bringing food in to Australia and we’re not even eating what we’re producing ourselves. Maybe I’m getting on a tangent, but that’s something I’d really like to say is Australian consumers supporting our Australian producers. And I think that if we do start to rekindle that connection with Australian agriculture that was so existent in time gone by, we’re a nation that, that rolls off the back of a sheep’s back. But I think as time has gone on to become more urbanised, we’ve sort of, we’ve fallen out of touch with, with the Bush and with regional and rural Australia. I think those simple decisions as a saying, as a consumer, just thinking about where our food is coming from and who it is that’s producing it, I think can go really, really long way. I think that that can do wonders. And I think we’ll open upopportunities. I think if people start getting excited about where their food’s coming from and really interested in where the food is coming from, it won’t be won’t be long before like you jump down the rabbit hole and you say that there’s no ceiling on what can be achieved in egg and I think that’s something that I firmly hear and I get pretty, pretty excited about.

Geoff

Hopefully people through this Covid period have become a little bit more conscious of thinking the local buying local, and travelling local. Not that we have much choice, but I think we’re becoming a little bit more aware. I know we certainly as a family are which is really a really good thing. And just on a slightly different track, you’re also an ambassador for Sober in the Country to raise awareness around mental health. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Hugh

Absolutely, so I think to try to tie that all together. One of the things I’m reallypassionate about in why we’re looking at what we’re eating and what we’re consuming is I believe in a really holistic approach to mental health. And I think that experience shapes, perspective I’ve come I’ve certainly run into two instances in my own experience where I’ve been really challenged and how I’m going about managing my mental health.  And at the time, I don’t think anyone goes out to try and run into trouble with how they’re feeling and how they coping with the, the pressure of a workload or stress or whatever. I think that is a lot of things that contribute to it. There’sa lot of factors there. So, nutrition is something that that’s been on my radar for a long time. Sleep is another one. And when you think about them, all you could do is look at it and I’m looking after my physical health. But again, if we have a holistic approach to it, they are one and the same. So, to circle back, that was probably, I’ve had two instances in my life where I’ve found it really, really hard to, to manage with my mental health. Sort of, it’s felt like my back into the wall. The most frustrating thing at the time is Icouldn’t really work at war. So, the first instance it was probably getting towards the end of year 12. The pressure of final exams is mounting. I’veno idea what I wanted to do after school, but everyone’s there asking, what are you going to do when you leave school? What are you going to do for the rest of your life, your career? But I had no answers to that question. I was really actively involved in my sportthrough school, so I was exercising and I was looking after my physical health and nutrition andsleeping well. And when I’m wrestling season finished, I sort of thought, well, that can overlap. So, I can start going toa few more parties and I think even in year 12, you start to experiment with drinking and, and if your friend is doing it Well, you’ve got to do it. Otherwise, you can’t be friends. So, I started to say real social pressure there. There was the idea that you had to drink to have fun and you had to drink to fit in. I didn’t know at the time but that that played a huge part in that initial degradation to my mental health. And then again, last year I was fortunate that someone came to me who I didn’t expect to. While everyone else was stepping on egg shells around me, they said you’ve got to pull your head and it’s up to you. And I think it was, it was enough of that shock to pull me out of it first. That first sort of running. But then it was the second time that really got me and I think that was so thisis last year. So, I was in my fifth year working up here and I had loved every minute of it. But I was just having more and more challenges at work and I couldn’t pinpoint have a fix these challenges. I wasn’t sleeping because I was thinking about how could I possibly resolve this, this issue. I don’t know. Maybe in the, in the Bush, I think there’s a mantra that we work hard. We play hard, certainly playing hard something I’ve done. But I think there’s also that idea that you learn to be where you’ve earned to drink at the end of the day. And maybe that’s, that’s, that’s not even in the industry or in, in the territory. I think this is a nation. I need a glass of wine; I need a beer. We’ve all said it and I think we’ve all gone and done it. But what that did for me was right, I can have an extra beer walk and I have an extra tobi’s. Well, maybe I have an extra three days and always if I was avoiding a challenge that I could have been able to deal with. And I started drinking asa means to I think just escape from it. To the point where I was drinking is then I have seen the amount of alcohol and not, and I wouldn’t have it. I would ever bea problem drink. If I was looking at myself now, I’d say at that time I was probablya problem drinker and that really saw that degradation from something that was manageable, spiral out of control. And I was left again with my back to the wall. And again, the most frustrating thing is I couldn’t work out why while I was getting why I wasn’t being as productive at work while I was finding it hard to focus while thesethings were happening.

And I was really, really lucky to meet a lady called Shanna Whan who started a charity organization called Sober the Country earlier this year. And I remember listening to Shanna speak, and through my own head, I was thinking of my own experiences and it was just a lot of alcohol is a catalyst to a massive, massive oil can be a catalyst to a massive degradation in our mental health that we don’t talk about there’s is not a warning label on the back of a bottle of wine or on the back of a can of beer that says, this is something that may affect your mental health. If you are dealing with a challenge in your mental health or your mental well-being, think twice about doing this chat to someone that maybe you just need a hand and at the time that might be all you need is just someone to talk to. For me, it was the moment I turned to alcohol as a means of what I thought was self medicating and something I felt was socially acceptable to do it just, it was unstoppable. Until again, I probably got to the point where I wasn’t thinking about it, but I did stopped drinking as much because at the time I was at home and I was probably thinking a bit more about what was going on. And what got me out of that one was that I did open up and I started talking and I now understand the importance of speaking when you are experiencing those challenges with your mental health. But certainly, now and working closely with the Shanna. Being aware of the negativesthat go with alcohol, consumption has been game changing and something that I’m really happy to learn off my own experience as someone that you know, I am very conscious of, of own health. But as someone that I think might be from the outside, looking in, it would appear that I’ve got a full handle on what’s going ona hundred percent of the time that alcohol got me unstuck. And if we’re not carefulof it, if we’re not aware of it, it can get a lot more of us and unstuck. And it was a no brainer for me to jump on board and to move into a role as an ambassador with Sober in the Country and I think the really special thing about in the country and why I think it resonates with so many people is that it’s not about not drinking. We’re not out there to say, hey, you can’t have a beer. You can’t go and do that. You can’t go and have a massive night and wake up tomorrow morning, feeling extremely sorry for yourself and say you feel better if you didn’t. And I know I do feel better if I’m not drinking is not, but we’re here to say if you don’t want to have a drink, that’s fine. That’s socially acceptable to say no to the I think it’s again; it comes back to being aware of the fact that someone in their 20s who just can’t pull up or can’t say no to not drinking. You know, there’s someone that could be in massive trouble. They, if they’re in your friendship circle, there’s someone that you should, should go to and say, is what’s happening below this? Beyond that, below the surface, if you scratch, if, if you scratch the surface, I think you need dig and you find, you know, like always the perfect example that always someone that was putting on a brave face. But behind that facade, you know, is crumbling. I could see it; I wasn’t saying that that was happening. I was drinking, I hate to make it look like I was having fun in rural Australia, especially where we have a much higher rate of suicide, particularly in young males. I think we’re in a position where we can start to look at how we can really help that. And for me, I think it starts with looking at the culture of alcohol consumption in the Bush and what we can do to to be better.

Geoff

Yeah. I think everything you’re sayingmakes really good sense and there’s such value in, in your words. And sometimes if, well, we’re not sure we should just have a chat, someone about our mental health and our ability to deal with it. Because it’s really hard to deal with it yourself and even to see it, as you said, to understand why is it that I’m feeling this way and just have a conversation or think about what you’re doing, why you’re doing it can give you some, some validity in terms of what it should be doing or understanding of maybe what you shouldn’t be doing everything you said makes total sense and I think there’sa lot in that for all of our listeners When you were nominated for I mean you’ve done so much and when you’re nominated for the awards, the achievement, what must have been a real validation of who you are,  what you’re doing. And you’re thinking about the people that you’re helping the organizations and I refer, of course to the comments contracting, cultural what must be a real validation for you.

Hugh

Yeah, it was, I think it was extremely humbling, especially in the, in the company of the other nominees in Romney and, and Amy Cook, who were both in on such incredible individuals and Romney, was really, you know, and her work that she’s done developing the, the Northern territory Cattlemen’s Association Future Leader Program. It’s people like those that have made the opportunitiesavailable for people like me so um to be nominated. Yeah, it was, it was very humbling in the process that I very much enjoyed. But I think again, just I’ve, I’ve tried to jump at every opportunity possible during my time in the industry. And I’ve always believed in the value in making yourself uncomfortable. It was the easier option would be to, to sign. I think again to wall recognition is never something I’ve sought after. I think it is something that it really affirms to me that that there are so many opportunities out there provided that you just put upyour hand and have a go, I think.

Geoff

How has winning the Awards in May being able to help promote the industry and what you do?

Hugh

Yeah, I’ve thought about this a lot and I think the, the biggest thing for me, again, it really just says it, it just set it clear that agriculture is up there with, with every other industry. And I think there’s so much to offer and what I think is a misconception. It certainly was when I was at school, is that agriculture isa dead enda career. There’s nothing in it. If agriculture is being recognized across a range of other industries, I think it speaks more to the story and I think it’s definitely been a platform to be able to go out and, and say, hey, this is what’s achievable in the agricultural industry and indeed across all other industries in Australia that you can go at and you can have a really successful career and a really enjoyable career and a really exciting career.

Geoff

Nominations are currently open for this year’s Young Achievers Awards all across country, in fact. Would you encourage our listeners to nominate someone and why?

Hugh

Yeah, I’d certainly encourage anyone to nominate anyone across any industry. I think sometimes people trying to make a change and makea difference. All they need is a little bit of confidence to take that next step. And I think for me certainly the validation that the changes I believed in were being seen saying help me to go out and to share more of my story and, and to hopefully put agriculture on a pedestal that I think shines to everyone. So, there’s so much more value, I think, than what might be, makes the eye in, in just that simple nomination. It can go a very long way.

Geoff

Fantastic. Hugu, what’s something that we might not know about you?

 

Hugh

Oh, it’s a good Geoff. I used to play the trumpet. I was awful at its. That’s I can’t really, I remember I remember I was in, I used to play trumpet in school and this goes all the way you know on and, and mom and dad realized, I think, I think you always want us to try a hand at anything like the trumpet is playing the trumpet. I was, I was in the intimate concert band. So, it was the worst band in the school, and I couldn’t read music particularly well. So, I’d sort of listen to the bits that I knew and play to them, but I couldn’t, I couldn’t play it because I couldn’t read. But we had this concert at the end of the year and mom and dad came out and I was so proud of it. So, I came up to this big concert and all the school bands, is a few individual places I will play in the intermediate band routine and I had to get to know what we were playing. But I sat there and I was so nervous that I didn’t play a note the whole time. I just sat there pretending to find my trumpet. And I saw my afterwards, mom was in tears and she said, we are so proud of you. I don’t think I think I might have told her since then maybe this was something that she didn’t even know what I could have put that into being a pretty awful musician.

Geoff

It’s very cool. Well, our podcast producer, Annette, she plays the clarinet, so maybe you could form a band together. You’d need a lot of trumpet. So could, could get you playing, you know.

Hugh

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Geoff

Hugh, do you have words of wisdom or encouragement for our listeners?

Hugh

Yeah, and I think it’s again, it’s something I’m finding I’m circling back to more and more frequently when talking to anyone because I think it is something that’s transferable across all industries and across all applications really in your life. But I think any opportunity to, to take a step outside your comfort zone is something that’s only going to be rewarding in the long run. You know, I think I said up there before, but if ever, if ever it would be easier to say no to something. I say say yes and say where that will take you.

Geoff

That’s a great word of wisdom, for sure. Hugh, where can our listeners connect with you online to find out more about you,what you do, who you’re involved with, and also the cattle industry.

Hugh

Yeah, I’m Fairly active across social media, Geoff. I’m on Instagram posts and photos about, you know, like I was saying from, from my eyes if you like. So, what’s actually happening on the ground and, and what we’re so lucky to to experience at least my Instagram handle is HPJDawson and I’m on Linkedin three of the best places to catch me. And if you would like to learn more about the Young Livestock Exported Network, if you’re an industry professional looking to develop your career, YLEN are also across to socials. If you did a quick Google search, you’d be able to pull up YLEN and, and for anyone, anyone at all, I’d really encourage you to jump on and look at the livestock collective. So, the livestock collective across Instagram, Twitter, across all the socials. They’ve also got a fantastic website with access to videos, again covering the entire supply chain, telling them it is becoming more and more important to me is Sober in the country. If you jump on and look at serving the country again, a quick Google search will get you to any of the social media platforms.

Geoff

Hugh, it’s been a real pleasure anda privilege to chat with you. Really thankful for your time and hope you’ve enjoyed our chat as well.

Hugh

Yeah, absolutely Geoff and, and thank you and thank you to the team at Awards Australia for making these opportunities possible. Especially in trying times. I think it is so important that we do recognise people out there looking to to make a real difference. And hopefully it’s not long before we’re back to face to face. And I would saya lot of these people starting to connect and draw some real, really positive changes in across Australia and things.

Geoff

We are very passionate about what we do. We believe so strongly in the power of the people and to acknowledge young people and all community contributors are makinga difference to empower them to do even more is our purpose and our privilege. And I hope everybody listening is really enjoyed our chat with you today as much as I have. Until next week, everyone. Stay safe, be kind to yourself as well as others. Keep inspiring.

I hope you enjoyed today’s interview as much as I have. We would love you to subscribe to our podcast that you won’t miss an episode. Join us each week as we talk with ordinary Australian achieving extraordinary things. Did you know that Awards Australia is a family owned business that proudly makes a difference in the lives of those who make a difference for others. And we thank our corporate not for profit partners to making award programs possible. Do you know someone that’s making a difference or maybe your business might like to sponsor an award. Contact us through our Instagram page, inspirational.Australians will head to our website, awardsaustralia.com, it would be great if you could share this episode with your network because who doesn’t like a good news story, and please rate and review us. We would really love to hear your thoughts until next week. Stay safe and remember, together we make a difference.

 

Annette

Thanks for joining us today from the inspirational Australian’s podcast. We hope you enjoyed listening and have been inspired by ordinary Australians achieving extraordinary things. So it’s goodbye for another week. Remember, together we make a difference.