Will Caltex and Shell permit the LNP to assist ethanol?
Queensland canegrowers will lose cash this season with sugar costs under the price of manufacturing and growers say two Queensland sugar mills are at risk of closing down whereas the nation runs out of gas
Katter’s Australian Social gathering MP and Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, is tabling the Liquid Gas Provide (Ethanol and Different Biofuels Mandate) Modification Invoice 2026 this week in State Parliament, declaring Queensland can not afford to depart its gas safety within the arms of abroad oil firms and weak authorities coverage.
The KAP’s invoice comes amid assist from main agricultural and manufacturing our bodies, together with the Nationwide Farmers’ Federation, GrainGrowers, Australian Sugar Producers and CANEGROWERS, collectively calling for quick nationwide ethanol and biodiesel mandates to strengthen Australia’s gas safety.
Mr Knuth stated the invoice was designed to lastly implement and strengthen Queensland’s failing ethanol and biodiesel mandate, whereas boosting regional jobs, supporting Australian agriculture and lowering dependence on imported gas.
Audio: Wilmar Sugar spokesman Mark Greenwood explains the ethanol manufacturing and provide chain all through Australia:
“Queensland’s present ethanol mandate is a joke. It’s weak, filled with loopholes, riddled with exemptions and barely enforced,” Mr Knuth stated.
“Most individuals assume after they pull up on the bowser and purchase E10 they’re truly getting 10 per cent ethanol. Usually they don’t seem to be even shut.
This invoice fixes that by making certain E10 truly incorporates a minimal of 9 per cent ethanol, introducing enforceable minimal biofuel content material necessities and slapping severe penalties on gas firms that refuse to conform.”
The Invoice additionally requires:
- A minimal 1 per cent ethanol content material throughout all different petrol blends, in keeping with the nationwide gas commonplace; and
- A minimal 2 per cent biodiesel mix in diesel gas, in keeping with the nationwide gas commonplace.
Mr Knuth stated Australia’s gas vulnerability had been uncovered by ongoing instability within the Center East and world provide chain disruptions, whereas governments continued to tug their heels on significant gas safety reform.
“For many years governments have talked robust about gas safety however accomplished completely nothing significant on the subject of imposing biofuel mandates,” Mr Knuth stated.
“The foremost oil firms have had governments precisely the place they need them – at their beck and name with weak biofuel mandates, weak enforcement and limitless exemptions.
“In the meantime international locations like Brazil, India, america and throughout Europe are massively growing ethanol use as a result of they perceive it strengthens gas safety, helps farmers and retains more cash in their very own financial system.”
“Australia imports round 90 per cent of its refined gas and each worldwide disaster sends costs by the roof whereas households and companies get smashed on the bowser,” he stated.
“The remainder of the world is transferring aggressively to strengthen home gas manufacturing by ethanol and biofuel mandates whereas we have now to ship our personal ethanol and biofuel to abroad markets.”
Knuth added the Queensland State Authorities has largely ignored Ethanol and biofuels as an answer to gas safety;
“The State Authorities talks concerning the Taroom Trough because the salvation calling on an Albanese led Labor authorities to make this occur, understanding full nicely the Feds would keep away from this just like the plague.
“It’s a smokescreen purely designed to get a media headline.
“In the meantime, we have now a right away resolution in ethanol and biofuel, which is being ignored.”
KAP Chief and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter, stated the Invoice uncovered years of political weak point from each main events pointing to current stories displaying Australia exported greater than 150 million litres of ethanol final yr, whereas concurrently importing refined gas from abroad.
“It’s absolute insanity that ships carrying Australian made ethanol are leaving our ports whereas gas tankers carrying imported petrol go them on the best way again in,” he stated.
“We export our sugar, grain, ethanol, biodiesel, tallow and canola abroad so different international locations can strengthen their gas safety, whereas Australia turns into extra depending on overseas oil giants yearly.”
Mr Katter stated Queensland needs to be main the nation, not falling behind.
“The LNP has submitted Ethanol Madate Payments previously, when in opposition, so now that they’re in Authorities their assist needs to be computerized.
We develop the feedstock. We’ve got the cane business. We’ve got the grain business. We’ve got the processing functionality. What’s missing is political braveness,” he stated.
“This might develop into a multi-billion-dollar business supporting regional Queensland jobs and lowering Australia’s publicity to abroad gas shocks.”
Mr Knuth stated the State Authorities now had a selection.
“They’ll preserve defending multinational oil firms or they’ll again regional jobs, Queensland agriculture and manufacturing and supply actual gas safety by supporting this Invoice.
The time for smokescreens and excuses is over.”
