|
|
|
Drop sugar levy: Qld Govt
16 Sep 2003
The Queensland Government has told the Federal Government that it should adopt sugar industry reforms or cease collecting the 3-cents-a-kilo retail levy. The levy is expected to raise about $25 million a year and was intended to fund research programs, but linked to structural reform of the industry.
The Queensland Government has withdrawn its proposed sugar reform legislation after the Federal Government said it would not support the changes. The Queensland sugarcane farmers' group Canegrowers and federal National Party MPs representing sugar-growing areas had lobbied against the reforms. Most of the changes were what the growers wanted, Canegrowers' GM Ian Ballantyne said, but they could not support a lack of arbitration in negotiations with millers or changes to the single desk monopoly on selling sugar.
Premier Beattie said he is still prepared to negotiate with the Federal Government to revive the reforms, which were agreed to by both governments in 2002.
Australian Financial Review, 16/9/03.
|
|
