The Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) and Australian Cane Farmers Association (ACFA) are pleased a “bona-fide” grower was elected to Sugar Terminal Limited’s (STL) board.

QCAR Chairman Christian Lago said the result, released after an unnecessarily protracted delay, showed the sugarcane industry’s overwhelming support for Paul Schembri.

“We congratulate Paul on his election,” Mr Lago said.

“He’s a bona-fide grower who QCAR whole-heartedly endorsed, and we look forward to working with him and fellow G Class director Steve Kirby who are well-placed to represent the interests of G Class shareholders.

“STL must now focus on fixing the share registers and deal promptly, decisively and fairly with dry shareholders.

“Active growers must make up the majority of shareholders as was intended in STL’s founding charter.

“From 2000 to 2024, the voting power of active G Class shareholders went from 64 per cent to just 36 per cent.

“That’s a dramatic reversal of representation and one that does not give farmers, who funded the terminal’s construction in the first place, any real power or sway.”

Mr Lago said it was disappointing STL had not used the AGM as an opportunity to share with active shareholders the business case for its radical 2023 decision to insource terminal operations.

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Caption: QCAR Chairman Christian Lago says STL is hiding behind a commercial confidentiality excuse to prevent sharing its business case for insourcing terminal operations.

Caption: ACFA Chairman Don Murday has queried who was setting the agenda for STL as growers were not in favour of its proposed insourcing terminal operations plan.