David Crisafulli vows future for Mossman despite mill’s uncertain future

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has vowed to ensure a Far North Queensland town has a viable future amid growing fears a key sugar mill may not reopen, in a devastating loss for the cane-growing region.

David Crisafulli has vowed to ensure future of Mossman

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has vowed to ensure a Far North Queensland town has a viable future amid growing fears a key sugar mill may not reopen, in a devastating loss for the cane-growing region.

Sugarcane farmers in Mossman are being forced to truck this year’s harvest to the Mulgrave Sugar Mill in Gordonvale 100km away after the parent company of the Mossman mill collapsed last year.

If a new buyer for the mill isn’t found by the time the summer wet season rolls around farmers will likely opt to not sink capital into the next cane crop.

Mr Crisafulli, whose Ingham-based family was involved in the sugar industry, said the LNP was “determined to work with the community to give them long term-viability when it comes to the future of Mossman”.

What that looks like remains to be seen, with Mr Crisafulli saying he wanted to look at “every option on the table”.

“We won’t be waiting and letting the grass grow underneath our feet if government changes in October, we have to make sure there’s a future for our community,” he said.

“And everyone has to be around the table to drive what that future looks like.

“I’m not convinced that there’s not life left in the cane industry and I’m not convinced that there’s not a way through when it comes to Mossman, to make sure that community can still be a viable producer of cane.”