Media Release

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today expressed his disbelief at the resistance of Australian politicians to mandate ethanol, calling the Queensland Government’s announcement on ethanol today nothing more than an ‘indefinite postponement of a decision’.

He joined State Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter’s slamming of the Government’s announcement to only have a discussion paper into ethanol and the failure to promise any mandate.

“There needs to be a mandate for ethanol – the bowsers are owned and controlled by the oil companies – and they’re not going to willingly stand aside and share their profits with Australian farmers and Australian workers.

“The unused capacity at the ethanol plants and Dalby, Sarina in Queensland and Nowra in NSW would be enough to produce 10% ethanol petrol tomorrow.

“I’m confident that Peter Wellington MP is a strong supporter of ethanol and if Billy Gordon MP also stands strong on the issue, along with KAP, then the Queensland Government will have no alternative but to deliver.

“The implementation and enforcement of an ethanol mandate must, by legislation, be under the control of a commission independent of Government,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter has pointed to Australia’s fuel security, the economic prosperity of our sugar cane farmers and public health as strong drivers for the introduction of an ethanol mandate.

Mr Katter said that in 2002 Australia was importing virtually no petrol, approximately $1,000 million worth per year. Today, approximately $25,000 million is sent to the Middle East to buy oil.

“Sending $25,000 million a year to the Middle East to buy oil, instead of sending it into rural Australia, is brainless stupidity.

“Economists say there are 10 jobs for every million dollars generated - that’s 250,000 jobs that could be pumped into non-metropolitan Australia.

“The NRMA has said that the fuel supply chain in Australia will shorten down to two weeks over the next two years.

“If ISIS happens to blow up three fuel ships coming into Australia, this economy will be crippled as we are the only economy on earth totally dependent on imported fuel,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter said the resistance by Australia’s politicians to ethanol was unbelievable.

“Every county on earth with the exception of Australia, Africa and the Middle Eastern oil producing companies are relying on ethanol.

“And you still hear people in Australia, as well as politicians, say it makes your car break down - well since about 80% of the world’s cars are driving on 10% ethanol, are they all breaking down are they?

“In Brazil, whilst the mandate is only for 22%, cars on average use 66% ethanol.

“Are the people of Australia so gullible that they would believe this rubbish coming out of the oil companies?

“The Government in Australia, whether ALP or LNP, have continuously promised and even legislated ethanol but they have continually undermined their own initiatives.

“In the two decades of the Bjelke-Peterson Government you got sacked if you wasted public moneys having an inquiry or a discussion paper.

“The last word lies with Winston Churchill who said ‘it is an indefinite postponement of any decision or a decisive decision for indefinite postponement’,” Mr Katter said.