Katter: Rejection of Ethanol Bill shortsighted
Member for Mount Isa, Rob Katter said he was disappointed but not surprised that his committee, the State Development Infrastructure and Industry Committee (SDIIC) has rejected the Katter Party’s Liquid Fuel Supply (Ethanol) Amendment Bill.
The SDIIC has just tabled its report on the bill, recommending it should not be passed, giving what Mr Katter described as “a litany of excuses” as to why the bill would not work.
The Ethanol Bill, introduced by KAP Member for Condamine, Ray Hopper, is almost identical to the Liquid Fuel Supply Bill the LNP made every effort to get passed in Parliament three times under the previous Labor Governments in 2002, 2004 and 2008. *
Mr Katter said it was a missed chance for the creation of thousands of Queensland jobs.
“This is frustrating, because Queensland Government had the chance to lead the way here in ethanol production and legislation, and they’ve given no substantial reason to deny Queenslanders an opportunity to have this industry grow.
“This was a chance for the Queensland Government to invest in agriculture and sugar production, creating thousands of jobs in North Queensland.
“This was a chance for us to create our own fuel, where as a country we have a massive problem with fuel insecurity, importing 90% of our fuel.
“Currently we’re not meeting our 90 day International Energy Agency oil stockholding obligation and the opportunity to be more fuel secure has now gone.”
“It’s an easy enough product to sell to the public; the health benefits alone make a good case for the ethanol mandate,” Mr Katter said.
Mr Katter said he submitted a dissenting report to the SDIIC today [Friday 24 October].