NSW Liberal Leader Peter Debnam today welcomed the announcement of the NRMA's Alternative Fuel summit.
" I have made it clear a NSW Liberal/Nationals Government will be seeking a dramatic increase in ethanol production and use as part of the state's fuel mix," Mr Debnam said.
"A fortnight ago, NSW Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads Andrew Stoner and I convened an ethanol roundtable as the first plank in the formation of our biofuels policy," he said.
"The roundtable will meet again next month to consider a comprehensive range of policy options, including incentives to increase ethanol and biofuel production and distribution, incentives to increase demand for ethanol and the promotion of ethanol.
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"As the AMA has noted, motorists braving the M5 East Tunnel every day would be better off because of the lower toxic emissions from ethanol-blended fuel.
"After visiting the Manildra ethanol plant in Nowra, I filled my car with a 10% ethanol blend and last month decided to convert it to run on 85% ethanol.
"The NSW Liberal/Nationals look forward to taking part in the NRMA's Alternative Fuel summit.
"NSW deserves a higher standard of air quality. With the M5 East Tunnel, Labor hasn't delivered with Morris Iemma as Premier and Health Minister, and Carl Scully and Eric Roozendaal as Roads Ministers.
"What NSW needs is higher standards, better services and balanced budgets," Mr Debnam said.