Newsroom

June 19, 2024

Over his many years living and working in Cape communities, Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Candidate for Cook, Duane Amos, has seen the devasting and debilitating effect of mis-guided and mis-directed Blue Card policy.

Blue cards, designed to protect children from predators and abuse have for too long being used as an impediment for First Australians to gain meaningful employment and give back to their communities, and entrenching generational poverty.

“I have seen communities stripped of the ability to empower their own people, and employers forced to bring in outside workforce, when the best workforce is right there in community,” Mr Amos said.

“I’ve also seen the KAP and party leader Robbie Katter leading the charge for reform for more than a decade, and that’s part of the reason I came on board as the KAP Candidate for Cook,” Mr Amos said.

In a welcome surprise during budget week, the Attorney General Yvette D’ath introduced amendments to child safety laws that would bring reform and more pragmatic conditions to the Blue Card system.

“Pragmatic changes have been adopted by the government, taking on board many of the issues raised with me in community and by the KAP in parliament,” Mr Amos said.

“A minor indiscretion in your early years should not be an impediment to you finding gainful employment, giving back to your community, or participating in vital kinship care.  Other legislation recognises this, yet the blue card legislation disqualifies you for life.

“While I believe there is still more that could be done, such as around local government employment, this raft of proposed changes would make a material difference in communities across the state, and particularly the electorate of Cook,” he said.

Katter’s Australian Party Leader and member for Traeger Robbie Katter has welcomed the Labor government adopting long fought for KAP policy of blue card reform and said while he was pleased to finally see action from Labor on this, he sincerely hoped that they are serious, and will get the bill through the parliament this term.

“For more than a decade I’ve advocated for real reform, having listened to the First Australian Communities in my electorate and around the state,” Mr Katter said.

“First Australian communities have been pleading with me to drive reform for blue cards, and in response I’ve put in three bills - all were voted down.

“Perhaps the Attorney General should come clean and admit that this is tokenism and based on the restructure of volunteers in Marine Rescue, Rural Fire and SES, as they are all now aligned with the Queensland Police?  Has the government continued to ignore the plight of First Australians, like they have for a decade or more?

“Or, if I were more cynical, I’d suggest there is a huge risk that this move is a disingenuous attempt to con desperate First Australians, just before the election, now that change is imminent.

“It’s only when the blue card reforms are sealed in Queensland legislation that I and the KAP will celebrate success with First Australian communities,” the member for Traeger said.

The KAP Candidate for Cook is spending time this week on the road with KAP Leader Robbie Katter in Cook.

“I’m looking forward to hitting the road with Robbie – listening to the people of Cook, and hearing more of the issues and challenges, and celebrating the uniqueness and diversity of Cape York,” Mr Amos said.

“I’m certain that Blue Cards will come up in our conversations, but we’ll be reminding people not to count our chickens before they hatch – the government in Brisbane need to prove that they are serious, and make sure that this reform is enacted before October 26th,” he said.