Thousands of Queenslanders have come out in support of the small far north community of Mossman, calling on the State Government to keep the local sugar mill operating to help underpin investment in the community.
A parliamentary e-petition, posted on 12 April, has already garnered almost 5,000 signatures, as Queenslanders call on the government to give the town time to transition to a more sustainable future.
Failure to act will see the "demise of an agricultural industry, environment, employment and local business and services … (and) increasing welfare dependency," the petition says.
The single biggest employer in the region, Mossman Mill went into liquidation last month, casting a pall over the local sugar industry and the community it has supported for over a century.
The mill and associated businesses account for almost one-third of the town's employment and many local businesses would face an uncertain future if the mill collapsed.
Local cane growing families are also facing financial ruin, with growers investing more than $15 million into this year's crop already.
"At the very minimum we need the government's support to get this year's crop off," CANEGROWERS Mossman Chairman Matt Watson said.
"That will enable local growers to recoup some of the millions of dollars they've invested into this crop. It will also pump tens of millions of dollars into the local economy and will help give businesses and families in the town time to consider their next steps.
"The future for Mossman is looking very bleak right now. We're not asking the government to prop up an industry, we're asking them to underpin investment in the region."
"We need to get this year's crop off to give the community a fighting chance. I think that is something every Queenslander would support," Mr Watson said.
The e-petition, which closes on Sunday, can be found at https://bit.ly/3xunfLZ
