Queensland biofuels industry: Canegrowers urges political parties to act

The peak body representing canegrowers says the Queensland’s political parties must act now to secure a biofuels future. Read the parties’ responses:

The Herbert River sugar-cane harvest at Toobanna south of Ingham, Hinchinbrook Shire. Please attribute. Picture: Cameron Bates

The peak body representing canegrowers says Queensland’s political parties must act now to secure a biofuels future.

“The silence from both parties is deafening: Australia needs a domestic biofuels industry – and our competitors are leaving us behind,” Canegrowers chief executive officer Dan Galligan said.

“Queensland has the chance to power the future of sustainable Australian air travel, help meet national emissions targets, and secure fuel independence, but none of this will happen without bold government leadership and investment.”

Mr Galligan said a biofuels industry would “create thousands of regional jobs and add billions to the state’s economy”.

The Herbert River sugar-cane harvest at Toobanna south of Ingham, Hinchinbrook Shire. Picture: Cameron Bates

“Queensland has the chance to power the future of sustainable Australian air travel, help meet national emissions targets, and secure fuel independence, but none of this will happen without bold government leadership and investment,” he said.

“This election is pivotal: We need policies that lower electricity and water costs for agriculture, support the expansion of cane farming, and remove the red tape stifling growth,” he said.

Canegrowers is calling for:

• $600 million in government co-funding for a sustainable aviation fuel production facility

• Policies to reduce electricity and water prices for farmers

• A mandate for 5 per cent Queensland-produced sustainable aviation fuel in all commercial flights from Queensland airports

• Streamlined regulations to expand cane farming areas

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has backed the call from Canegrowers for the major political parties to commit to the future of Queensland’s biofuels industry, warning that without decisive government action the industry is “dead in the water.”: Picture: Cameron Bates

Katter’s Australian Party

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said KAP had previously introduced legislation to create an ethanol mandate in Queensland, which was passed.

He said he introduced additional legislation to “strengthen those laws to ensure the biofuels industry in Queensland had a future”.

“Both Liberal and Labor voted against those laws in favour of protecting the stranglehold the petroleum industry has over our state, essentially selling out canefarmers who are dedicated to building a Queensland biofuels industry.”

With just days to go before Queensland votes, the Canegrowers organisation is urging the major political parties to break their silence on the urgent need for a domestic biofuels industry. Picture: Supplied

Labor

Ina Pryor, the Labor candidate for Hinchinbrook, said the Miles Labor Government recognised the potential for biofuels in Queensland and has funded initiatives to develop the industry.

“But this support would be at risk under the LNP as it plans massive cuts across Queensland to pay for its $17 billion of unfunded election commitments.”

The Miles Labor Government has given both Wagner Sustainable Fuels and Liquid Power $760,000 grants (total of $1.52m) for feasibility studies to develop the case for investment in their own Sustainable Aircraft Fuel proposals.

The government has also provided $5 million through the Queensland New-Industry Development Strategy (QNIDS) to grow local production capabilities and establish SAF value chains in Queensland.

LNP candidate for Hinchinbrook Annette Swaine says an LNP Government will deliver a Queensland first agriculture innovation fund, designed to deliver cutting-edge insights and farming productivity to boost Queensland’s farm gate output to $30 billion by 2030. Picture: Liam Kidston

LNP

Annette Swaine, LNP Candidate for Hinchinbrook, the agriculture sector needed a government that supported them.

“But under the worst agricultural minister the state has ever seen in Mark Furner and his incompetent Labor government, they have been forgotten.”

She said an LNP Government would deliver a Queensland first agriculture innovation fund, designed to deliver cutting-edge insights and farming productivity to boost Queensland’s farm gate output to $30 billion by 2030.

“The LNP has always supported the development of biofuels, and LNP Shadow Energy Minister Deb Frecklington recently gave a keynote address to the Australian Gas Infrastructure Group highlighting the importance of renewable fuels and opportunities for industries like cane,” she said.

“A future LNP government is committed to ensuring research and development for biofuels as part of its energy plan, and will continue to consult with industry as part of this process.”

Originally published as Queensland biofuels industry: Canegrowers urges political parties to act