Canberra must release report to show LNP inflicted damage to sugar sector

Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne today called on the Turnbull Government to release the final Productivity Commission report into agriculture industry regulation to reveal the damage of the LNP's changes to the sugar industry 12 months ago.

“It’s been a year since the Queensland Parliament passed sugar marketing legislation the LNP insisted was necessary to resolve its structural issues,” the Minister said.

“One year on and the growers have not seen any resolution. In fact they are wading through increasingly thick molasses.

“The LNP amendments to the Sugar Marketing Act 1999 have added nothing but confusion and animosity to the mix.

“It wasn’t just the Palaszczuk Government that knew those amendments were a bad idea. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop wrote to the Queensland Government to urge rejection, citing damage to Australia’s reputation as a place for foreign companies to invest.

“Barnaby Joyce and Scott Morrison are sitting on the Productivity Commission report into the regulation of agriculture.

 
"So-called Minister for Northern Australia Matt Canavan worked for the Productivity Commission; he should insist that the report is released.

“We know that the interim report about Queensland’s Sugar Marketing Act was damning. It called for the amendments introduced a year ago to be repealed.

“It’s time Mr Joyce allowed the release of the report so we can all see what the experts recommend.

“The Coalition is in an ideological mess on this as it is on so many things. The Liberals recognise the regulation is bad and has failed but the Nationals are continuing to oppose multi-billion dollar overseas investment into Queensland agriculture on political grounds.

“Mr Turnbull needs to tell the Nationals that Australia is open for business and their bully-boy posturing must stop.

“For Michelle Landry, the Rockhampton-based National Party MP, to suggest the sugar industry’s woes are all Wilmar’s fault is bizarre.

"To threaten Wilmar with severe consequences if it doesn’t ‘play nice’ shows that she simply doesn’t understand the implications for investment in Queensland.

"Her contribution risks damaging Australia’s international reputation as a place to invest and shows how at odds her one-eyed views are with those of her ‘colleague’, the Foreign Minister.

“Until the Queensland LNP sorts out this rift, sugar growers and processors will continue to suffer from crushing uncertainty.

“From the outset the Palaszczuk Government’s position has been clear and consistent.

“This is a commercial matter and it should have been resolved by industry though normal commercial means – not by poorly crafted LNP legislation.”

ENDS

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