Sugar Industry Reform Program
The Australian Government recognises the continuing importance of the sugar industry to rural and regional Australia. It has agreed to provide a comprehensive range of measures to help the industry reform and assist individual cane farmers and their families who are in need.
The Sugar Industry Reform Program (SIRP 2004) builds on the 2002 program, and responds to the sugar industry’s commitment to support and promote comprehensive reform and restructure. It provides up to $444 million for a range of measures to assist the Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australian sugar industries. Importantly, all industry stakeholders have the opportunity to participate in the reforms. Assistance is provided through a combination of short-term measures to help sustain the industry through its immediate difficulties and longer-term measures to help the industry undertake necessary reform.
The Sugar Industry Reform Program 2004 gives the industry the decision-making tools to help individuals determine their futures. The driver for positive change is in the hands of committed individuals working together at the community and regional level.
The Sugar Industry Reform Program, was announced by Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss in April 2004. In announcing the SIRP Minister Truss also announced the formation of two industry groups: |
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- Industry Oversight Group
- Regional Advisory Groups
The role of the Industry Oversight Group (IOG):
- oversee progress on the implementation of Industry reform,
refinement of reform priorities, vision & alignment
of regional plans
The role of the Regional Advisory Groups (RAG):
- is to identify the key challenges & the most appropriate
solutions; e.g. improvements in sector practices, mill aggregation,
diversification, capacity building, business planning, environmental
management and infrastructure development &;
- development of a regional plan
In total, there are seven Regional Advisory Groups established
for the sugar regions; Bundaberg, Mackay, the Far North, Southern
Queensland, the Herbert, the Burdekin, and Northern NSW.
Other components of the Sugar Industry Reform program are:
- Sustainability Grant
- Income Support (including business planning for income
support recipients)
- Business Planning (mills)
- Re-establishment Grants
- Retraining
- Grower Restructuring Grants
- Regional and Community Projects
- Crisis Counselling
- Intergenerational Transfer
Further information on the SIRP 2004 is available from www.daff.gov.au/sirp
or
www.maff.gov.au/releases/home_wt_releases.html
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