Katter Pushes Ethanol Expansion to Support Farmers and Fuel Security

Calls to strengthen Australia’s fuel security are gaining momentum, with Kennedy MP Bob Katter urging the Federal Government to invest in ethanol production as a way to support rural industries, including those in the Burdekin.

Mr Katter joined crossbench MPs from across the country to push for a suite of measures aimed at reducing Australia’s reliance on imported fuel, including expanding the use of domestically produced biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

For agricultural regions like the Burdekin, one of Australia’s key sugar-producing areas, ethanol presents a potential opportunity to add value to locally grown crops while strengthening fuel independence.

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“For decades, governments have avoided the enforcement of meagre state mandates for Australian made biofuels and – unlike most other countries – have failed to implement a national mandate to secure our renewable supply of ethanol-blended petrol,” Mr Katter said.

He said Australia’s strong grain and sugar production base positioned the country to play a much larger role in biofuel manufacturing.

“The biggest oil crisis the world has ever seen impels the immediate enforcement, in full, of existing ethanol and biodiesel mandates in Queensland and New South Wales – along with urgent expansion to 10 per cent ethanol-blended petrol nationally – to ensure we use all that we grow in thriving regional industries, whilst reducing our dangerous reliance on dirtier, imported fuels that cost Australians dearly to deliver super-profits to our foreign overlords.”

Mr Katter also questioned why more action had not been taken, given ethanol’s current and potential contribution to national fuel supply.

“Ethanol can right now supply three per cent of Australia's demand. Additionally, four of the recently closed refineries can easily be recommissioned. Why, on these three obvious initiatives, has the Government done nothing?”

While the Federal Government has acknowledged locally produced fuel as part of its broader strategy, no firm commitment has yet been made on a national ethanol mandate.

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