Protecting the Great Barrier Reef highlighted in Burdekin

Protecting the Great Barrier Reef and discussing how the Government and sugar cane industry can work together to protect the national treasure has been highlighted today in the Burdekin region.

Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef Leeanne Enoch said today’s visit to a Wilmar sugar farm and the Pioneer Mill was part of ongoing dialogue between Government and the industry to help protect the environment and the Great Barrier Reef.

“Our Government’s proposed reef regulations that are currently before Queensland Parliament are about striking the right balance between protecting the Great Barrier Reef while supporting farmers to improve profitability and productivity,” Minister Enoch said.

“Some farmers in the region are already doing great work protecting the environment, and are using modern agricultural practices to ensure that the fertilisers needed to grow sugarcane are not lost to waterways.

“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the scientific advice that, working with our industries to reduce fertiliser and sediment farm run-off into waterways will help improve water quality, which is one of the main threats to the Great Barrier Reef.

“The laws are about protecting and supporting the more than 60,000 jobs that rely on the health of the Great Barrier Reef,” Minister Enoch said.

“The scientists are telling us that intervention is needed now to protect the reef. While we know a lot of work has been done to improve water quality, unfortunately the dial has not turned fast enough.

“These regulations will help us meet the recommendations of the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce.”

Minister Enoch said Wilmar Sugar Australia had already done good work to reduce run-off and improve water quality as part of the voluntary industry-led Smartcane Best Management Practice program.

“Wilmar is a canegrower and miller that farms about 7000 hectares of agricultural land within the Herbert, Burdekin, Proserpine and Plane Creek regions, producing some 520,000 tonnes of sugarcane annually.

“They employ best practice techniques to optimise nitrogen use efficiency in order to reduce fertiliser losses and run-off. They also incorporate mill by-products into their farming system to improve soil health - all while maintaining production rates and reducing costs.

“It is this standard of best practice which we hope to see right along Queensland’s east coast regions which will help industry while protecting the Great Barrier Reef.”

Wilmar’s Executive General Manager North Queensland John Pratt said the company was proud of its record of best practice adoption in the sugar industry.

“We’re continuously working to improve productivity while minimising our environmental footprint,” he said.

“It is not only our responsibility to our community, but good business practice”.

Mr Pratt said Wilmar invested about $9 million annually in agricultural research, development and adoption.

“It’s in our interest and Queensland’s that we contribute to a viable and sustainable sugar industry,” he said.

While in the Burdekin, the Minister also took the opportunity to see how sugar mills generate renewable energy from renewable biomass.

“Wilmar’s eight mills generate enough power annually to not only meet their energy needs, but also export enough surplus electricity to the national grid to power 80,000 homes – all of Townsville - for a year,” she said.

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