Newsroom

July 25, 2024

“It really is the height of irony and irrational policy – the Department of Agriculture in George Street continually underfunded and ignores the exploding pest and weed epidemic, yet they spend time and resources to consider declaring one of the grazing industry’s most productive feed a weed?  Please!”

Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter has spoken out about the impending threat to Buffel Grass, a highly palatable and nutritious feed stock for the northern grazing industry which has been revolutionary in increasing the sustainability and resilience of graziers, particularly in the Gulf region.

“The government spectacularly fails at managing existing weeds and biodiversity on their own land, yet they want to reclassify more plants, this time highly productive ones which generate real economic benefit to Queensland,” Mr Katter said.

“The Queensland beef industry alone is valued at nearly $9 billion, thanks in part to critical innovations such as Buffel grass in North West Queensland,” he said.

The Queensland government has committed to spending $262.5 million between 2022-2026 to buying more land for parks without any commensurate increase in funding to cover the critical need for weed and biodiversity management.

“The Brisbane government is locking up more and more of North Queensland to purport its green credentials to the woke-ey inner city voters, but because the land is two or three thousand kilometres away, they think they don’t have to be responsible for its upkeep,” the KAP Leader said.

“The KAP and I are here to say that the best land stewards are our farmers and graziers.

“Locking up land and conducting disingenuous hand backs to First Australians – trying to pass the buck on management – is killing the grazing industry, local communities, and does nothing to empower our First Australians.

“The government should stop pandering to the woke vote and listen to the real custodians of our land.  Buffel grass is not a weed, and we desperately need investment to tackle the scourge of real pests and weeds,” the Member for Traeger said.