Candidates must commit to competitive sugar marketing

CANEGROWERS is writing to election candidates in Queensland’s sugarcane growing districts asking for a clear commitment that crucial marketing competition and grower choice provisions in the Sugar Industry Act will be maintained after 25 November.

“Passed by the Queensland Parliament in 2015, these amendments are a safety net for sugarcane grower confidence to continue investing in our farms and industry,” CANERGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said.

“The changes to the legislation prevented three companies from extending their regional milling monopolies into marketing services monopolies.”

As Queensland goes to the polls on 25 November, the issue of sugar marketing competition and choice is front of mind for voters in many coastal electorates which rely on the $2.5 billion sugar industry.

“The ALP opposed competition and choice in sugar marketing services in 2015, so our members need to know what MPs who may be elected on 25 November intend to do,” Mr Galligan said. “We need a commitment that this legislation will be left in place.

“The Liberal National Party and Katters’ Australian Party supported the changes, and farmers, in 2015. We’ve been keen to know that that vital support hasn’t wavered and statements of commitment at the Politics in the Pub event in Townsville this week from the parties were very welcome.

“Given Pauline Hansons’ One Nation and the Greens didn’t have MPs in the Queensland Parliament in 2015, if they do after the election, what is the position of those parties?”

Candidates have been asked to respond to their local CANEGROWERS office by Tuesday 21 November.