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Wednesday, May 27, 2015
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Mareeba Rodeo Grounds
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Local derby fever The Atherton Roosters will enter enemy territory on Saturday night, where they will play Mareeba in the Tablelands derby at Davies Park. Both sides are desperate for bragging rights, along with two priceless competition points. Local Brooke Alifraco is excited ahead of Wednesday nights State of Origin and Saturday nights local clash. Head to Page 23 for Justin Fris’s preview of the big game.
MEMBER for Dalrymple Shane Knuth successfully tabled a sugar marketing bill into state parliament last week. The Bill has now been referred to the Agricultural and Environment Committee, which has up to six months to examine it and report back to parliament. Should the Bill successfully pass through parliament, it will mean that local canegrowers will have greater control of marketing their share of the sugar, along with maintaining pre-arranged options. Mr Knuth – who received support from fellow crossbenchers and constituents – said the matter was extremely important for the Far North. “The sugar cane industry is one that sits at the heart of North Queensland all the way down to the Sunshine Coast,” he said. “This Bill addresses the imbalance in market power currently existing between mill owners and growers, and protects one of our largest, yet struggling industries. “We are sitting just behind Brazil and Thailand as the world’s third largest sugar producers and now isn’t the time for politicians to sit on their hands – the industry called for assistance, and we have deliv-
ered what they need. Unless this issue is addressed the anti- competitive actions of corporate monopolies will have no obstacle when it comes to taking advantage of our producers.” Tableland Canegrowers manager Bronwyn Dwyer said she was very happy that the bill had made it into parliament. “We worked with Shane in tabling the draft Bill,” she said. “We are very happy the Bill made it into parliament and that the KAP has got their heads around the importance of this issue. “We have also organised a meeting with Member for Cook Billy Gordon to canvas his support.” Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter welcomed Mr Knuth’s Bill; and said it was vital that any future monopolies in the industry be avoided at all costs. “The irrationality of people that advocate competition and free markets and then to please their corporate masters impose a monopoly on the farmers, it knows no bounds,” he said. “This monopoly has resulted in cane farmers realising you can’t make money out of sugar cane, so we close a sugar mill in Australia every two years now.”
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