October 5, 2018
Read about Katter’s Australian Party’s media mentions and moments from this week, including from radio, newspaper and more.
Katter’s Australian Party
Minors eye major swing in the North
02 Oct 2018 – Courier Mail Brisbane
THERE are fears within the LNP that minor parties are filling the vacuum left by the party’s dwindling presence in north Queensland. While the LNP’s Cairns office is no longer manned, Katter’s Australian Party has opened a Townsville office, Clive Palmer has opened one there and in Cairns, and there’s talk that Pauline Hanson is considering opening an office in the north.
KAP move could come back to bite Palaszczuk
03 Oct 2018 – Courier Mail, Brisbane
SPEAKER Curtis Pitt could refer Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to the powerful ethics committee within days over allegations she threatened Katter’s Australian Party. The Courier-Mail can reveal KAP has sent a second letter to the Speaker urging him to act after Ms Palaszczuk said she would strip them of their resources unless they denounced controversial comments by the party’s Senator Fraser Anning. The Crime and Corruption Commission last week warned there was “prima facie” evidence Ms Palaszczuk had breached the Criminal Code and urged she be stripped of the power to decide the perks of political parties, but declined to prosecute. The Premier yesterday refused to answer questions about the matter, despite her deputy Jackie Trad making comments over the weekend.
Palaszczuk ‘may have committed bribery’
04 Oct 2018 – Northern Miner, Charters Towers QLD
It is clear that the premier's actions were unacceptable: Robbie Katter. ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk may have committed bribery by threatening to withdraw resources from her political opponents unless they backed her agenda in parliament, Queensland's corruption watchdog said yesterday. It also recommended the premier surrender her power to allocate parties' staff. The Crime and Corruption Commission's assessment followed Ms Palaszczuk's decision last month to sack four staffers allocated to Katter's Australian Party after its MPs refused to condemn senator Fraser Anning's call for a referendum on restoring the white Australia policy. Before she sacked the staffers, Ms Palaszczuk told parliament she "would like to see members of the Katter Party here in this parliament get up and say" they condemned Senator Anning's speech. She added she would "be reviewing" their staffing entitlement in light of the row. Queensland's criminal code provides a seven-year jail term for anyone who uses "threats or intimidation of any kind to influence" an MP "in the member's vote, opinion, judgment or action, upon any question or matter arising in the Legislative Assembly". CCC chairman Alan MacSporran yesterday said there was insufficient evidence that Ms Palaszczuk had committed a criminal offence outside parliament.
Annastacia Palaszczuk’s integrity in tatters
03 Oct 2018 – Innisfail Advocate, Innisfail QLD
THE Crime and Corruption Commission was scathing in their assessment of the Premier's conduct over allegations she threatened other MPs. In their report, the CCC found there was prima facie evidence that Ms Palaszczuk had breached the Criminal Code over very serious charges. The LNP will move to establish a select committee to look at the serious allegations against the Premier, comprising equal numbers from both major parties and representation from the crossbench. The Premier should abstain from any such vote on the establishment of the select committee and step aside until the committee fully investigates the matter. Labor shouldn't use their numbers in the parliament to protect the Premier, just like they did previously when they recalled Parliament and retrospectively changed the Criminal Code to protect Gordon Nuttall. We're calling on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to do the right thing. If they were transparent and accountable they would allow this select committee to fully investigate the matter. Otherwise the whole affair will continue to hang over Annastacia Palaszczuk's head.
TIM MANDER, LNP Deputy leader.
Food is our life
04 Oct 2018 – Northern Miner, Charters Towers QLD (Letter to the Editor)
FOOD IS OUR LIFE THERE are some urgent facts in the wake of the milk levy and strawberry debacle that need to be said. Queensland is 184 million litres of drinking milk short every single year, based on last year's data. That massive amount has to be made up somehow. We have currently about 470 dairy farmers in Queensland. Before Liberal annihilation came in, there were just over 2000; most of them family owned. Of course they cannot supply our needs so our shortfall must be made up from down south. I want someone to tell me if this massive shortfall comes in a powder form and "just add water" or is it fresh? The public should know. Have Coles, Woolworths, Labor and the Liberal parties robbed us of fresh drinking milk or not? The LNP failed to support a "fair milk mark" Bill brought to state parliament by Katter's Australian Party. This was just a mark that let people know if a dairy farmer was paid a fair price. LNP sided with Labor and voted this down. Why? Was that because they could not upset Coles and Woollies? Where was the concern for farmers then? Dairy farmers in Queensland get 55c/L for raw milk but it costs them 58c/L to produce it. Yep . fact check that. This is the result of the criminal desertion by political parties of the very people that give them an iced coffee when they have their morning meetings. These are the hardworking families who are at the mercy of an overseas processor or a giant supermarket that does not care. Now, we have pleas to help strawberry farmers. How much profit do you think is in a punnet of strawberries when you can decorate your cheesecake with $1 punnets? Without farmers, we do not eat. It is simple; so simple that it appears most politicians and customers of Coles and Woolworths do not realise that those big fridges in the supermarket do not fill themselves. Do you want to be at the mercy of fake honey, berries from overseas that are contaminated, fish with mercury and unsafe meat? If farmers are not given the due they deserve then this is our fate. The Labor Party supports the Greens, and the Greens want an end to dairy farming, grazing animals for meat, fishing and just about most food except bean and salad production. The LNP are rudderless and going from wanting a soy latte to drink to not knowing how much a dairy farmer gets for his efforts. The 10c levy is a shameless play on desperate farmers who are running out of options. A farmer cannot pass his costs on to anyone.
Supermarkets, and processors make millions off the backs of the hard-working farming families of this country. It is time the truth came out and not by some lacklustre politician at election time. Food is life.
-Debra Gibson, Pinnacles
Bob Katter – Federal Member for Kennedy
Katter motivated to swim the extra yards
02 Oct 2018 – Cairns Post, Cairns
KENNEDY MP Bob Katter has been so inspired by his chief-of staff’s successful swim across the English Channel, he’s started swimming more laps in his own pool. Anne Pleash, who has worked for Mr Katter out of his Innisfail office for many years, completed the challenging 33km swim on the weekend between England and France. Ms Pleash, who lives in Mission Beach, battled strong spring tides to cross the channel in 15 hours and two minutes. Mr Katter said Ms Pleash, who is currently in transit back home, was not only brave enough to attempt the open water swimming challenge but was talented enough to actually complete it. “Anne’s a super achiever,” he said. “She’s a Mareeba/ Normanton girl and every inch a North Queenslander. “It was an extraordinary swim. “She’s an outstanding person. “I have been so inspired by her that I’ve increased my swimming pool laps to six but always try not to knock my head on the way in,” he said. A party is being held for Ms Pleash at Castaways Resort & Spa tomorrow at 5pm.
Defence to aid of farmers
02 Oct 2018 – Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD
DEFENCE land near Townsville will be opened up to cattle for grazing over the summer months in a bid to help drought-stricken farmers. Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has approved 1100 head of cattle to graze on the Townsville Field Training Area, about 60km southwest of Townsville, between now and February 2019. The area was formerly known as Dotswood Station. Kennedy MP Bob Katter welcomed the decision, which he had been urging the Federal Government to consider for some time. “We very much appreciate the Government coming around on this and doing it for all the right reasons, and we want to congratulate the people who have been working like a tiger on this issue,” he said. “There is no doubt that it’s been a very dry year, feed is very poor, and it will provide some relief. “The situation our farmers are in is dire. “We need to do everything we possibly can to assist.” Mr Katter also congratulated local grazier Jimmy Petersen, who he said was the “driving force” behind the campaign to get access to the paddocks. “Few people have had a rougher trot than Jimmy Petersen in the cattle game … I want to pay him a special congratulations,” he said. The Defence Department is handling the expressions of interest from graziers regarding access to the Townsville Field Training Area. Applicants must be from drought-declared areas of the Townsville and Charters Towers regions.
Katter calls on ScoMo to commit to projects
04 Oct 2018 – Northern Miner, Charters Towers QLD
FEDERAL Kennedy MP Bob Katter has called on the prime minister to commit to water infrastructure projects in North Queensland. Mr Katter said the electorate had had enough of governments talking about "looking into" projects and wanted to see real action on Big Rocks Weir and Hells Gate Dam.
"The cost of looking into it has now hit $560 million over a period of the last 20 years . without a single shovel of concrete across a gutter," he said. "Remember the quote, 'an inquiry is a decision that there will be no decision'. "Any further statements about dams being built will be considered a 'no' and we will react with enormous hostility," he said. Mr Katter said he had met with Prime Minister Scott Morrison to discuss the issue and told him to get on with the job and get the projects built. "I told Scott bluntly that there was no option for him to announce any dams or any investigations, the only option was for him to be standing beside a bulldozer at the commencement of work on a project," he said. "There are three projects in North Queensland that are shovel ready.
Bob warns ‘pussycat’
05 Oct 2018 – Cairns Post, Cairns
KENNEDY MP Bob Katter has warned the banking royal commission will end up a "toothless pussycat" unless its scope and duration is extended. Mr Katter (right) said the current terms of reference were watered down and he put up his hand to tell the inquiry what needed to be done. "There are matters not being addressed and the current inquiry does not allow for any of these matters to be addressed," he said.
Fraser Anning – Senator for Queensland
‘Attacking Australian Democracy’: Facebook removes Senator Fraser
28 Sep 2018 – Brisbane Times
Facebook appears to have unpublished the official page of Katter's Australia Party senator Fraser Anning over a number of posts that violated its community standards.
Fraser Anning page removed
04 Oct 2018 – The Land, Sydney
THE Facebook page of Katter's Australia Party Senator Fraser Anning has been removed for reportedly breaching the website's policy on hate speech. An anonymous complaint was made about a post from the controversial Queensland Senator in which he called the anti-bullying Safe Schools initiative a degenerate sexual program. He said on Twitter that Facebook's action was an attack on free speech. "Free speech is under attack, and communication is being regulated by foreign companies with tendencies of political bias," Senator Anning said. Senator Anning has also been an outspoken critic of Muslim migration, attracting criticism from the farm sector, nervous about potential impacts with Indonesian trade. He used his maiden speech to Parliament in August to call for a public vote on a ban on Muslim immigration.
Robbie Katter – State Member for Traeger
Power ‘ATM’ costs North
03 Oct 2018 – Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD
THE State Government has been accused of using its electricity assets like “ATMs” at the expense of North Queenslanders struggling to pay their power bills. In a question on notice to Energy Minister Anthony Lynham, Traeger MP Robbie Katter asked if the Government would commit to write down the value of state-owned “poles and wires” to provide relief for struggling business owners and households. But in his response Dr Lynham said reducing the value of the state’s electricity network assets was unlikely to provide a “quick fix” to energy prices. In June a report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said a voluntary Government write down of the asset base could result in savings of $100 a year for the average residential customer. The report estimated the network charges, or “pole and wires”, make up about 40 per cent of household electricity bill. Mr Katter said the accounting standards used by the Government equated to using the electricity assets to generate income rather than stimulate the economy. “It’s like having a philosophical approach to these assets of using them as ATMs rather than industry enablers,” he said. Mr Katter said while downgrading the value of the assets could harm the Government’s budget it would “really help” homeowners and business. “Our belief is that money is much better spent being put back in the pockets of the homeowner and industry rather than government,” he said.
KAP in call on green actions
03 Oct 2018 – Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD
KATTER’S Australian Party wants the heads of greens groups to be held personally responsible for any illegal activities undertaken by their members. State KAP leader Robbie Katter said he was investigating new “Chain of Responsibility” laws to “put a stop to illegal protests” that disrupt Queensland’s major industries. He said the heads of green non-government organisations should be punished if they did not take reasonable steps to stop members acting illegally.
Remote pub bill moves forward
04 Oct 2018 – North West Star, Mount Isa QLD
LIQUOR licence fees for pubs and clubs in "very remote" Queensland could be slashed by up to 90 per cent in a matter of weeks. The Liquor (Rural Hotels Concession) Amendment Bill, introduced by Traeger MP Robbie Katter, was officially endorsed for the second time on Friday by the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee. The committee had also recommended the bill be passed last year, however it lapsed after the 2017 Queensland election was called and could not proceed. Mr Katter thanked the committee for its work and said he was confident the recommendation meant the bill would go through parliament and become law. "The only thing that would stop it now is if the government or opposition have a brain-snap on the floor of parliament and decide to vote against it," Mr Katter said. He said the committee's determination was an excellent outcome for remote Queensland.
KAP slams abortion Bill ’crock’
05 Oct 2018 – Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD
ROBBIE Katter has hit back at Labor's suggestion his party cares more about crocodiles than women's health. He said comments from Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper that his party was avoiding the State Government's proposed pregnancy termination Bill were "astounding". "I take real issue with suggestions the KAP has not been willing to tackle the abortion Bill," he said. "We tackled the issue straight away by saying we would oppose the Bill and nothing has changed. "We are a party of principle. "We are not talking about abortion because we have stated our position on the Bill." Mr Katter said culling crocodiles was not KAP's "main issue" but could not be ignored. "Labor has showcased its incompetence in that it has refused to help prevent North Queenslanders from getting eaten in their local waterways," he said. He said Mr Harper should show more concern for the state of Townsville's economy. "We haven't heard boo from Mr Harper on the state of the Townsville to Mount Isa rail line business or on skyrocketing energy costs in the North West Minerals Province," he said.
Shane Knuth – State Member for Hill
Community needs action
03 Oct 2018 – Innisfail Advocate, Innisfail QLD
I WAS honoured to open the recent Cassowary Coast Orchid Expo as a sponsor. Thousands of people came to see the impressive display of flowers held by the Innisfail Orchid Society Inc which has been running since 1951. Despite three extensive cyclones playing havoc in the area, they have come through as one of the leading societies in FNQ. It was also great to attend the St Clare's School 90th celebrations with my wife Heather and see the school's history with young, middle-aged and older generations all coming together for the special event. I am disappointed the parliamentary committee rejected the Safer Waterways Bill, but I am not going to give up on this. I am determined to work with the community to claim back our waterways because the reality is our crocodile problem exists and it will only get worse. Reported sightings in North Queensland have risen; the government's recent update showed a spike in the number of crocodile sightings, jumping to 684 in 2017 compared to 378 in 2016 and just 176 in 2010. This is triple the sightings reported from seven years ago and an 80 per cent increase in sightings from 2016. Waterways people previously swam in are now infested with crocodiles and life saving, rowing and skiing clubs are closing their doors. The Safer Waterways Bill includes the establishment of a Queensland Crocodile Authority based in the Far North so we have immediate on the ground self-management. The bill can still get through - the committee rejected my sugar marking legislation, yet we were able to secure passing of that bill in 2015 which benefited the sugarcane industry and communities.
Supermarket giants rip off local dairy farmers
02 Oct 2018 – Atherton Tablelander, Atherton QLD
WHILE it seemed supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths had agreed to a 10c milk levy, its response was ultimately a mockery. Member for Hill, Shane Knuth said the 10c milk levy created on their own branded milk would not reach most farmers. He said it was a mockery of the original levy Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation (QDO) proposed - 10c a litre for all farmers across Australia, not just a temporary band-aid for those in drought-affected areas. Mr Knuth said a 10c levy from Woolworths and Coles only on their own brand milk was a cop-out. "It appears the supermarket giants are jumping on the publicity bandwagon and turning it into a drought-only issue, rather than a long-term issues," he said. "It's a growing concern across the entire industry." "We have 370 dairy farms in Queensland. Back in 2000 we had 1500. On the Tablelands we had 270, now we are down to 55. If something is not done, we will not have a dairy industry by the year 2030." Tablelands QDO representative James Geraghty said to give farmers a chance of survival the levy needed to be on all sizes, all brands and applied nationally. "Coles is only putting it on their three-litre bottles across Australia - all money goes to the National Farmers Federation Fund, not dairy farms.
Nick Dametto – State Member for Hinchinbrook
KAP in call for action on India sugar dump
04 Oct 2018 – Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD
KATTER'S Australian Party MPs are urging the Federal Government to take action against India's decision to dump tonnes of subsidised sugar on the global market. Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said the decision taken by India was "disgraceful" and came when sugarcane growers were dealing with a sugar price below the cost of production. "It's time the Federal Coalition Government joined with other affected countries of the Global Sugar Alliance and held India accountable before the World Trade Organisation," he said. "The Government has the power to take some real action here and preliminary analysis done by Canegrowers indicates that India is in breach of WTO rules." Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has indicated the Government is willing to take action. Mr Dametto's call for action was backed by KAP's federal leader, Kennedy MP Bob Katter.
Have your say with vote
03 Oct 2018 – Herbert River Express, Ingham QLD
THE Herbert River Express joins Hinchinbrook Shire Mayor Ramon Jayo and Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto in extending the very best to all four candidates contesting the council byelection. In a statement to the HRE, Cr Jayo said he wished the candidates the best of luck and said that he and the current crop of councillors look forward to working with the community's choice of councillor in the future. Mr Dametto said the four candidates should be commended for running and he believes each would bring something unique to council. "Local government plays an incredibly important role in our community and it's important that all councillors are in touch and receptive to the needs of residents," he said. "I wish each candidate the best of luck at the by-election on October 13 and look forward to building a strong working relationship with the successful candidate."
Tourism to ignite Hinchinbrook
03 Oct 2018 – Herbert River Express, Ingham QLD
TOURISM A BOLD push for local tourism ventures will transform Hinchinbrook into a must-see destination, Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto says. The Katter's Australian Party MP has ignited the call for innovative ideas that will help showcase the best of the region to the world while diversifying the local economy. "We live among some of the most beautiful natural wonders of the world," Mr Dametto said. "I truly believe sharing our backyard through tourism is the best way to attract people back to our region to work, live or visit." Wallaman Falls, Mungalla Station, Tyto Wetlands, Paluma Rainforest Walk and Hinchinbrook Island's Thorsborne Trail are just some of the destinations Mr Dametto suggested could be transformed into tourism meccas with the right infrastructure, training and product offerings. "If we as a community dare to think outside the box, a budding entrepreneur could really take advantage of our region's natural attractions while at same time creating jobs and increasing tourist visitation," he said.
Daniel McCarthy – KAP Candidate for Leichhardt
Increase in Crocs
01 Oct 2018 – Cairns Post Cairns (General News)
Katter’s Australian Party’s candidate for Leichhardt says governments need to “wake up” to the danger of crocodiles an sharks lurking in Far Northern waters. Daniel McCarthy claimed there was a growth in shark and croc numbers due to the health of the Great Barrier Reef.
Rage over Range talk
05 Oct 2018 – Cairns Post, Cairns
KATTER'S Australian Party candidate for Leichhardt Dan McCarthy has slammed incumbent MP Warren Entsch for waiting until an election before talking about upgrading the Kuranda Range. "It's not as if the issue has suddenly snuck up," he said. "Maybe if we told Canberra that the Kuranda Range was in Townsville the purse strings would open?"