Newsroom

March 19, 2025

A “state of economic emergency” has been declared in the North West by a deeply concerned Traeger MP Robbie Katter, who said the region would collapse if all levels of government don’t urgently move to encourage investment and provide better deals when it comes to power, roads and rail.

Mr Katter, in an address to the Queensland Parliament last week, said a myriad of mine closures in the region in recent months were directly the result of governmental neglect of the region.

He said the North West did not need financial handouts, but rather to be handed the keys to reach its economic potential through the provision of industry-enabling infrastructure, namely the CopperString project and a rail line that was treated as an asset for growth rather than a burden on the public purse.

The Katter’s Australian Party Leader said the declaration of the Mount Isa to Townsville region as a “Special Economic Zone” (SEZ), enabling government regulations to be streamlined and potential tax incentives on income and investment, could be part of the puzzle.

“SEZ zones have been successful in other parts of the world, and the North West would be an excellent place to establish one because we have unique attributes already, like a strong support for the resources industry and geographical isolation,” Mr Katter said.

“Essentially, our region does not fit the one-size-fits-all models that are imposed on us by Brisbane and Canberra and we are currently seeing the consequences of that.

“This has reached a state of emergency and I want to explore all options available to see how we can turn things around.”

Mr Katter said the building of CopperString, which would destroy the gas-energy monopoly that was undermining the region’s economic future, was his first priority.

“This monopoly would be broken by connecting us to the NEM, and there has been some great support from the previous State Government and now this current Government for CopperString,” he said.

“However, Powerlink – which is being paid by the taxpayer to get the job done – continues to stifle the project.

“After two years and a lot of money spent, all we have some dongas up in Hughenden and an interpretive centre in Townsville.

“There are mines out there quite literally saying, ‘we can't make the billion dollar financial decisions we need to because we can’t get cooperation from Powerlink’.

“That is disgusting, it is a disgrace and it is embarrassing.”

Mr Katter said the Mount Isa to Townsville rail line also needed to be treated as an investment-enabler, instead of a burden on the State.

“The current set-up of the line as a ‘total cost recovery’ operation by the Queensland Competition Authority, which drives away new customers and penalizes those still using the line, needs to go immediately,” he said.