Mackay’s biofuture is back in the spotlight with roundtable at the Resource Centre of Excellence

Mackay’s sugar industry could sweeten the deal when it comes to attracting world players to invest in the region’s biofuture.

All the proponents of Mackay’s biofuture came together at a roundtable meeting to turn the buzzword into a reality

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson said the region had been bursting with potential in the bioenergy sector and now was the time to act.

“There are plenty of people around, particularly on the Eastern seaboard of Australia, who want to steal our lunch,” Cr Williamson said.

“We don't want that to happen.”

He said Mackay already had the components to attract the world players to the region and now it was just down to collaboration and marketing.

Representatives of key industry sectors and all levels of government gathered at the Mackay Resource Centre of Excellence to create an actionable plan.

“When we’re trying to attract the world players, we know they’re looking for green energy, they’re looking for a good quality water supply, access to ports and access to airports,” Cr Williamson said.

Cr Williamson said the region had that but, more importantly, Mackay had sugar to sweeten the deal.

“We produce one-third of the world’s sugar and that means we grow a heck of a lot of sugarcane,” he said.

Mackay Canegrowers chief executive Kerry Latter said diversifying the use of cane would give growers the opportunity to multiply their income and invest and build in the future.

Canegrowers Mackay chief executive Kerry Latter speaking at the Mackay Energy and Biofutures Roundtable meeting. Picture: Lillian Watkins

“In the sugar industry, the cane we produce can be a feedstock for a whole host of biofutures opportunities,” Mr Latter said.

“The future foods processing and the host stock for a whole host of other biomedical opportunities as well.”

Mr Latter said the first meeting had been a success in sharing information and collaborating between the different sectors.

He said they had achieved “a collective mindset, a collective focus, and a collective energy to drive this opportunity forward”.