ENERGY: Will Windsor and Abbott deliver mandated ethanol?
Will Tony Abbott be able to rally the full support of the Liberal Party, and will Tony Windsor work with the Coalition, to introduce a federal mandate for sugar-cane-based ethanol in Australian fuel? Liberal policy is to mandate a percentage of ethanol in fuel, a vital first incentive to putting in place a viable Australian industry to turn sugar-cane into biofuel. However, Abbott faces resistance from economic rationalists in his party. Any bill to introduce mandated ethanol will also require support from NSW rural independent MP, Tony Windsor. He supports ethanol, but does not support the Coalition. Deregulation and bad…