THE Palaszczuk government is today calling on Queensland senators to demand the release of a Productivity Commission report as part of its ongoing campaign against amendments to the Sugar Marketing Act.
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Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne said the Real Choice in Marketing laws, which were passed by the Queensland parliament in December 2015, must be repealed on the basis the legislation has failed.
That’s despite the new laws having broad support among growers and being effectively sanctioned by six of the seven sugar milling companies.
Wilmar remains the only sugar milling company not to have signed an supply contract agreement with its 1500 growers for the 2017 season. CLICK HERE to read that story.
The Sugar Industry (Real Choice in Marketing) Amendment Bill 2015 was passed in December 2015 with the support of the LNP and the Katters with the support of Labor turned independent Billy Gordon, but strongly opposed by the Palaszczuk government.
Despite its apparent acceptance by growers and millers, Mr Byrne said the it was known the Productivity Commission’s interim report on the Sugar Marketing Act was damning and the amendments should be repealed.
“Cane growers and millers in Queensland need to know what the Productivity Commission report proposes and what the coalition will do to drag the industry out of the mire,” Mr Byrne said.
“The Prime Minister has a great opportunity to clarify what his government intends to do to clean-up the mess caused by the LNP’s meddling in sugar marketing.
“It is clear that the legislation has failed. The industry is in a crisis manufactured by knee-jerk meddling by the LNP.”
Mr Byrne said the Palaszczuk government’s position before the legislation passed was that contracts between millers and growers should have been resolved by industry through normal commercial means.
“Our position today has not changed,” he said.
