While you cut cane, we'll build the electron strategy

BY DAN GALLIGAN, CEO, CANEGROWERS

The recent State Budget was absolutely pitched at meeting the cost-of-living pressures.

The sweeteners on offer included generous rebates on electricity bills, very cheap public transport fares for six months, and free kindy.

In what was a seen as a huge political risk, prior to budget night the LNP opposition made it clear they would fully support all budget provisions.

In reality, it was mostly political theatre.

Oppositions in Queensland rarely reject government budgets, and with a unicameral parliamentary system it wouldn’t matter if they did, as the government can pass their budget at will.

What it did do was de-politicise the budget.

But that will only delay the real political manoeuvring.

As we hit the second half of this year, the real political campaigning will begin.

This year’s state election is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating for many years.

The Miles Government is lagging in the polls and looks on the verge of defeat. Other than two spells in opposition from 1996-98 and 2012-15, Labor has been in power since 1989.

But Queensland feels like a very different place today, compared even to our last election in 2020.

The electorate is still getting used to fixed four-year terms, while the economy is still clawing its way out of the impacts of COVID 19.

Yet there is a huge policy and economic shift underway, bought on by the dual drivers of the Queensland emissions reduction target of 75% (reduction on 2005 levels) by 2035, and its associated policy of a shift to renewable energy sources, with a renewable energy target of 80% by 2035.

These two “hand in glove” government targets, which are the driving force behind many economic policies and investments in this state, were not a consideration just two elections ago.

So, how does agriculture policy fit in within this dynamic.

At CANEGROWERS , we are well advanced in working with the Queensland Farmers’ Federation to finalise our election platform.

Between emissions reduction, cost-of-living pressures, and renewable energy, one thing is for sure, agriculture policy is front and centre in this election.

We must see this as an opportunity.

We are being, and must be, proactive in policy development to ensure the politicians see the intersection between food, fuel, profitability, and sustainability.

The risks of perverse outcomes from politicians who set bold, yet popular targets, without understanding the tradeoffs or the context, are obvious.

You can be assured that while the harvest will no doubt have its challenges, and while growers are working hard to get the crop off, at CANEGROWERS , we are working over the next crop of Queensland parliamentarians.