DECEMBER 03, 2015: THE sugar industry owes a debt of gratitude to the Liberal National Party, Katter’s Australian Party and independent state MPs who stood up for a grower’s right to a say over who markets their sugar in the Queensland Parliament last night.Though the Palaszczuk Labor Government now intends to seek Federal intervention on a deal which backs growers rather than foreign millers, they have little chance of succeeding.I particularly congratulate the LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture Deb Frecklington and Katter Australia Party MP Shane Knuth on their considerable efforts to secure this amendment to the Sugar Act which will ensure that growers have a real choice over who markets their sugar.This has been a protracted battle with foreign-owned millers who want to take that right away from growers.Considering the seriousness of the issue, it’s very disappointing to see that the Member for Mirani Jim Pearce, who represents one of the largest sugar growing electorates in the state, failed to stand up for his constituents.He voted against this despite all the arguments he gave in favour of the bill during his speech.Mr Pearce and the Palaszczuk Labor Government are siding with the foreign miller in their call for the ACCC and the Federal Government to intervene and override this legislation.It’s bizarre that the Queensland Labor Government wants this to go to the ACCC when the very thing the LNP, the Katter Party and the independent MP who voted for this bill are trying to fix here is anti-competitive conduct by the mills.How can offering choice be construed as anti-competitive?Mr Christensen said the Federal Coalition would only override state legislation if it was inconsistent with Federal competition laws or our trade obligations with Singapore.He also said that Federal intervention was not in the government’s best interests.This does not breach our Singaporean free trade agreement at all.The Singapore FTA contains clear provisions to allow government to make its own laws when it comes to anti-competitive conduct.The Federal Coalition leadership knows that this is an absolute no-go area for some Queensland Federal MPs, myself included.Federal intervention would result in more people sitting on the crossbenches.