Sugar on top of Qld's political agenda

Queensland's sugar industry will be thrown into the political spotlight on Wednesday when the state parliament votes on controversial legislation designed to end a dispute between canegrowers and Wilmar.

The Liberal National Party tabled a bill on Tuesday to amend the Sugar Industry Act to include forced arbitration.

A motion to urgently debate the proposed legislation was passed with support from the cross bench, but it received no support from Labor.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls hit out at the government over its refusal to back the changes and its decision to appoint former Supreme Court judge Richard Chesterman to hold mediation talks with Wilmar and Queensland Sugar Limited on Thursday.

But Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne said the LNP's bill, if passed, could spell disaster for the state's $2 billion industry.

Mr Byrne said he agreed with Australian Sugar Milling Council chief executive Dominic Nolan the introduction of "yet more debilitating legislation" would only guarantee more uncertainty for canegrowers, mill workers and regional communities that relied on the industry.

QSL and Wilmar have been unable to reach a consensus on a new supply agreement, but Mr Byrne said they were "very close to a negotiated resolution".