CANBERRA SEEKS SWEET SOLUTION

THE Federal Government is preparing to step in and sort out the sugar industry dispute which has been crippling Queensland cane growers.

It comes as multinational miller Wilmar sent a draft contract to marketers Queensland Sugar Limited at the 11th hour yesterday, which if accepted could enable canegrowers to crush their cane for the season.

But Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce warned the late action may not be enough to stop government intervention after the dispute left growers in financial limbo for months.

It is understood an industry code of conduct, to end the dispute and guide future negotiations between growers, marketers and millers, has been drafted and already received advice from Crown law.

It was expected to be discussed by Cabinet last night.

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson threatened at the weekend to abstain from voting on key legislation until the dispute was sorted out but the code had already been drafted.

A spokesman for Ms Hanson said the Government was working with her office “to reach a positive outcome for cane farmers”.

Mr Joyce said regardless of whether an agreement went ahead, the Government could implement the code of conduct at any time.

Canegrowers Queensland chairman Paul Schembri said cane farmers were “sick to death” of the dispute and welcomed the Federal Government intervention.

“We’re getting close to the start of the season and growers need those contracts,” he said.

But he warned there was a risk to the $ 1.1 billion worth of crop in the regions posed by Cyclone Debbie.

Treasurer Scott Morrison, who is pushing for business tax cuts to get through the Senate this week ahead of the May budget, warned One Nation that the public did not expect politicians to “go on strike”.

“It would be a very odd situation if they actually voted against making multinationals pay their fair share of tax today and then voted against small businesses actually getting a tax cut,” he said.

Ms Hanson also welcomed new Western Australia senator Peter Georgio to Parliament yesterday, after he was sworn in to replace his brother- in- law Rod Culleton who was found to have been ineligible for election.