A MANDATORY code of conduct for sugar marketing had strong support at a meeting with growers in the Ingham area, Queensland Senator Matt Canavan said.
“More than 50 growers came along to a meeting in Ingham on Tuesday night and there was strong support for the proposed code of conduct,” Senator Canavan said.
“The fact so many growers took time out at such a busy time of year to discuss this issue shows how important it is,” he said.
Senator Canavan was a member of the Federal Government’s Sugar Marketing Code of Conduct Taskforce, which last month recommended to Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce and Small Business Minister Bruce Billson that a mandatory code of conduct be adopted for the sugar industry.
“The Taskforce was established by Barnaby Joyce and Prime Minister Tony Abbott last December to investigate competition and marketing issues facing the cane sector following moves by foreign millers to exit traditional arrangements with Queensland Sugar Limited.
“We recommended a mandatory code of conduct that addressed five key points:
- A mechanism to distribute relevant interests in the quantities of sugar obtained from cane between growers and millers.
- A link between the price paid for cane and the selling price of sugar.
- The ability to choose marketing services.
- Non-discriminatory provisions.
- A mechanism to resolve disputes.
“The problem is that cane growers operate in markets that don’t give them freedom of choice about where to market their cane. Basically, circumstances force them to sell their product to a single monopoly miller.
“Everyone deserves freedom of choice in everything from what coffee you drink to who you marry to what football team you support. Politicians deserve freedom of choice to choose who their leader is – when you don’t have freedom of choice in that regard, you end up with a leader like Bill Shorten.
“Cane growers deserve freedom of choice in where and how they market their cane, and, if that’s not possible, then they need a code of conduct making sure all millers are doing the right thing by growers.
“The idea of a mandatory code had strong support amongst the growers I talked to in Ingham and that reflects the feedback I have also received from the wider industry. I am looking forward to the Government acting positively on the taskforce recommendations.”
