LNP Forces Ethanol Mandate

 

Ethanol 1

The Queensland LNP Opposition has brought to a head, after years of stalled policy work, plans to establish a renewable fuels industry in Queensland.

Member for Hinchinbrook, Andrew Cripps, said the result of a debate in the Queensland Parliament last night, had put to an end, years of indecision and broken promises from consecutive Labor Governments.

“It is an issue that has been debated extensively for years, but under previous Labor Governments, it had been put on the back burner” said Mr Cripps.

“The LNP brought the motion to the Queensland Parliament, to help stimulate regional economic development – this is a win for jobs, particularly in the regions and I expect this will have a flow on effect in the Hinchinbrook electorate” he said.

“The delivery of a mandate will help create an alternative and stable market for sugar cane, grain and other feed-stock producers, increasing the demand and diversifying markets for the products of our rural industries”.

“It also presents an opportunity to stimulate employment growth in regional communities – something this current Labor Government is struggling to achieve”.

Mr Cripps said the LNP acknowledged that there were practical considerations that needed to be fully considered before an ethanol mandate was implemented.

“The LNP motion in the Queensland Parliament forced the government to accept that there was broad support for this to actually happen across all parties and that Labor wouldn’t be allowed to break its promise for a second time”.

“Now the Government has a direction from parliament to release a discussion paper by the end of the month and introduce legislation by the end of the year thanks to the LNP pushing hard to progress this issue.

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