Committee Details

About the Inquiry 

On 11 June 2025, the Primary Industries and Resources Committee resolved to self-refer an inquiry into sugarcane bioenergy opportunities in Queensland with the following terms of reference:

1. The role and benefits of sugar cogeneration in Queensland’s electricity generation mix, including existing capacity and potential for expansion.
2. Market, regulatory, and infrastructure barriers to increased bioenergy production from sugar.
3. Opportunities to align sugar biofuel production with national security and defence liquid fuel needs.
4. Policy and funding mechanisms to de-risk investment in cogeneration and biofuels by manufacturers and growers, including examples of successful policy implementation from overseas and other industries.
5. The research and development agenda to underpin a world leading sugar-led bioenergy industry.
6. Strategic land use and regional development considerations affecting cane growing and sugar manufacturing capacity.
7. Benefits for growers in diversification opportunities.
8. Consideration of food verses fuel.

portfolio briefing

The committee held a public portfolio briefing with the Department of Primary Industries and sugarcane stakeholders on 30 April 2025, which helped inform the establishment of the inquiry. A transcript of the briefing is available here.

submissions and PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS and expressions of interest

The committee intends to invite public submissions and to hold public hearings on the inquiry which may include hearings in regional areas. Details of these inquiry activities will be made available in due course.

For now, any interested parties who wish to contribute to or follow the inquiry are invited to express their interest and be included on the committee’s list of inquiry stakeholders. Inquiry stakeholders will receive updates on the committee’s activities, including the call for submissions once issued.

Click here to express your interest in the inquiry.

Further information

Further information including written briefings, correspondence, response to submissions, transcripts and answers to questions taken on notice are available under the Related Publications tab.

Committee’s report

The committee will table a report on its inquiry in due course. The report will be published here.

Once the committee’s report has been tabled, the Government has three months to respond to the report’s recommendations (if any). At that time, the Government Response will be published here.

Timeline

A timeline will be published in due course.