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Sugar Industry Reform Program 2004 (SIRP)
The Australian Government acknowedges the importance of the Australian sugar industry to the economies of rural and regional centres.
The Government and industry agreed, in a Statement of Intent, on a comprehensive range of measures to help the industry reform.
- Reform of the Australian Sugar Industry - Statement of Intent
PDF [64kb] signed by industry leaders.
The industry commited to actively pursue long term economic, social and environmental sustainability by undertaking structural change, rationalisation and restructuring, and to investigate diversification, value adding and alternative use of sugar cane land. This commitment was undertaken to better position the industry’s future.
The Sugar Industry Reform Program 2004 built on the 2002 program, and responded to the sugar industry’s commitment to support and promote comprehensive reform and restructure. It provided up to $444 million for a range of measures to assist the Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australian sugar industries.
The components of the Sugar Industry Reform program were:
Sustainability Grant
Income Support (including business planning for income support recipients)
Business Planning (growers and harvesters)
Business Planning (mills) (Guidelines and Application form available)
Re-establishment Grants
Retraining
Grower Restructuring Grants
Crisis Counselling
Intergenerational Transfer
All the above elements have now been finalised (30th June 2007), however continuing components include:
Industry Oversight Group
Regional Advisory Groups
Regional and Community Projects
Industry Oversight Group
The Australian Government believes the sugar industry must take the lead in its reform and has provided funding over four years to develop and implement comprehensive industry and regional plans for change.
An Industry Oversight Group has been established to oversee progress on the implementation of sugar industry reform, including refinement of reform priorities, developing a strategic industry vision and aligning regional plans with the industry vision.
The Australian Government Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry appointed the Industry Oversight Group.
For further information about the Industry Oversight Group below;
- Fact sheet PDF [95kb]
- Strategic Industry Vision PDF [95kb]
Hard copies of the Strategic Industry Vision may be obtained from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on freecall 1800 098 071 or email Sugar Projects
Regional Advisory Groups
The Australian Government is also working with Regional Advisory Groups to drive local reforms. In appointing these groups, the Government has ensured that existing industry initiatives are built on and augmented as necessary. Regional Advisory Groups consist of local sugar industry and community representatives. They’re responsibilities include identifying the industry’s key challenges and the most appropriate solutions, which reflect each region’s unique circumstances within an overall industry strategic framework.
The Australian Government’s Sugar Executive Officers (SEOs) are working closely with Regional Advisory Groups in developing and implementing reform plans for the local industry. This includes planning the region’s sustainable future, and preparing a strategy to achieve the necessary outcomes.
Regional Advisory Groups are also working closely with the Industry Oversight Group to provide initial advice on Regional and Community Project proposals.
- Download the Regional Advisory Groups Fact Sheet PDF [95kb]
Media releases and speeches by former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries can be located at Pandora - Australia's Web Archive
The former Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, appointed the Regional Advisory Groups. To view the press releases discussing these appointments please visit the Minister's website.
Regional and Community Projects
Round 4 Regional and Community Project funding is now fully committed.
Previous Rounds of Regional and Community Projects
Media releases and speeches by former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries can be located at Pandora - Australia's Web Archive
- Media Release - $11.1 million for final Sugar RCP Grants - 26 July 2007
- 11 December 2006 - Round Three of the SIRP 2004 Regional and Community Projects.
Media Release $33.6 million to boost sugar industry's future. - 18 April 2006 - Round Two of the SIRP 2004 Regional and Community Projects.
Media Release -$36 million boost to sugar industry’s future. - 18 May 2005 - Round One of the SIRP 2004 Regional and Community Projects.
Media Release - Sugar communities receive $4.69 million funding boost.
The $75 million Regional and Community Projects is an Australian Government initiative to help the sugar industry and/or its dependant communities by providing funding for a range of regionally based targeted projects that will assist the medium and longer term sustainability of the sugar regions.
