Glenn Lazarus (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

This evening, I would like to respond to the comments made by Senator Williams last week in relation to myself and the Australian cane growing industry in Australia. Australia is the third largest producer of sugar in the world. Ninety-five per cent of Australian cane growers are located in Queensland because our climate is ideal for sugar cane growth. You would think, given the importance of the sugar industry to Australia and the fact that many of the cane growers are located in rural and regional areas of Queensland, that the government would do everything possible to support the industry and growers and show Queensland some love. But you would be wrong.

Sugar cane growers are facing the fight of their lives. International companies and overseas countries are buying up our farms and our mills. Australian sugar cane growers are now having to negotiate with foreign organisations to determine the supply and price of Australian sugar. In fact, in the near future, the marketing of Australian sugar may be taken over by foreign governments and international companies. To be clear: the coalition government is allowing the marketing and price setting of Australian sugar to be determined and managed by overseas countries and international companies—not our own country.

Australia's sugar industry needs help and Australian sugar cane growers need help as well. They have been begging the coalition for help for two years now, with little success. In fact, when cane growers call coalition MPS and senators, their phone calls are often not returned. The National Party, which traditionally has represented rural and regional Australia, has sold their sole to the Liberals in return for ministerial roles.