Minister welcomes new commercially agreed cane agreement

Queensland Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Bill Byrne MP, welcomed the news of cane growers and sugar mills striking an interim 2017 agreement.

 “This is proof that commercially agreed outcomes between growers and mills is possible under the existing laws of the land,” Minister Byrne said.

 “Today’s announcement that growers in the Burdekin and Wilmar’s Pioneer Mill have signed contracts gives me great hope that the best interests of the industry can be served by industry participants working together.

 “Under the economic vandalism of the LNP this commercial agreement could have been bogged down in arbitration, legal challenges and the sort of industry red tape that the Liberal Party used to rally against.

  “A harmonious, fair and commercially sound environment for reaching agreements that suit the growers and the mills is the only way ahead for the industry. I congratulate the growers involved in this agreement for rejecting the fear mongering promulgated by the Liberal National Party,” Minster Byrne said.

 “This proves that sound heads can prevail.”

Minister Byrne said this sort of commercial agreement could be threatened should the LNP plan for re-regulation of the sugar industry succeed next week in the Queensland Parliament.

 “My greatest fear in this debate is that the LNP would create investor risk and open the sector to endless legal challenges,” he said.

 “Queensland’s sugar industry can’t risk the LNP, where 16,000 jobs and billions in investment would be on the line.”

ENDS

Media Contact: Michelle Connolly 0478 325 738