Federal MP Bob Katter has renewed calls for Australia to boost ethanol production and adoption in motor fuels, arguing the move would cut dependence on imported energy while strengthening rural economies. His latest remarks came during a speech in Federal Parliament, where he compared the country’s ethanol potential to its ongoing reliance on foreign-made solar panels and vehicles.
Ethanol-blended fuel is created by fermenting grains or sugarcane before mixing the resulting alcohol with petrol. While E10—containing 10% ethanol—is already available at most Australian service stations, higher-concentration blends remain scarce. E85, for example, which is 85% ethanol, can only be found at a handful of locations. Most conventional petrol engines also require modifications to safely handle fuels with higher ethanol content, as the alternative fuel’s chemical properties can damage unmodified systems.
Katter cited Brazil as a working model, where ethanol blends now reach 32% by volume after recent policy adjustments. The South American nation has long used high-ethanol fuels, with its vehicle fleet designed to accommodate them. Thailand and Paraguay offer similar blends, though their automotive industries were built around such fuels, a detail Katter did not emphasize during his address.
Read Also: Honda Accord gets price increase in Australia
In 2008, former New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma introduced mandatory ethanol blends, framing them as a public health measure. Katter invoked this history, arguing that expanded ethanol use could further reduce vehicle emissions linked to respiratory illnesses.
Katter’s proposal aligns with his long-standing push to grow Australia’s biofuel sector. He framed the issue as both an economic opportunity and a strategic necessity, noting that Australia ranks among the world’s top four exporters of grain and sugarcane, the primary feedstocks for ethanol.
His remarks also touched on Australia’s collapsed car manufacturing industry. In the 1980s, 62% of vehicles sold domestically were built locally, but today only 52% originate from China. Katter blamed policy failures for this decline, suggesting ethanol could revive rural economies while reducing reliance on foreign fuel sources.
Read Also: NSW bans reserving parking spots, fines drivers
While vehicle emissions pose known health risks, Katter’s claim that 9,000 people die annually in Greater Sydney from lung diseases tied to motor vehicles lacks supporting evidence. Public health data does not confirm such a precise figure, though pollution-related mortality remains a documented concern.
Despite ethanol’s potential benefits, widespread adoption faces obstacles. Many modern vehicles are optimized for premium unleaded fuel, and automakers often warn against using high-ethanol blends. Even E10 compatibility varies, with some cars requiring 95 RON premium to prevent engine damage. Katter’s push would demand significant infrastructure changes, including expanded distribution networks for higher-ethanol fuels and vehicle modifications.
During his speech, Katter also criticized Australia’s coal industry and indigenous affairs before parliamentary time limits forced him to conclude. A fellow MP reportedly interjected, “Thank God for time limits,” after Katter’s lengthy address.
