May 21, 2018
KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has today insisted the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will be able to reverse the fund’s notorious reputation for being ‘inept’ by picking up the Hughenden Irrigation Project which will harness a portion of the Flinders River stream flow for on-farm and micro-irrigation, resulting in a prosperity boom for the struggling region.
KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has today insisted the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) will be able to reverse the fund’s notorious reputation for being ‘inept’ by picking up the Hughenden Irrigation Project which will harness a portion of the Flinders River stream flow for on-farm and micro-irrigation, resulting in a prosperity boom for the struggling region.
Speaking in Parliament today on the issue, his comments come off the back of Senate Estimates yesterday which revealed that just two projects have been funded in the five years since the Facility’s formation.
Mr Katter said, “NAIF was given $5,000 million, five years ago – Peta Credlin who actually set the Facility up has publically said that not one dollar had come out of the fund in 5 ½ years. That’s a fair call when the figures on their own website say that only $24 million has been dished out of $5,000 million. In a similar five year period, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) parceled out $5,500 million.”
Mr Katter blamed political interference for the NAIF’s dismal track record and said that the political nature of the NAIF meant that politicians saw the Fund as a sort of “slush fund for the pet projects of their corporate cronies”.
“We suspect there has been serious political interference which has inhibited the performance of NAIF. You could argue that, in fact, the NAIF has had a near 100% success rate given the Government never had any intention of using that money.
“The National Party has lost two leaders in the middle of Senate investigations. The only reason they didn’t lose the third was because his political incompetence level was such that people wanted him to stay there.
“Now, again, the NAIF and the Government have the chance to make some effort at redemption.”
Mr Katter said the Hughenden Irrigation Project proposed by ‘HIPCO’ is projected to bring $50 million into the Hughenden economy as well as generate hundreds of jobs, increase land values and boost businesses via its plans to irrigate the dry mid-west plains, beefing up cattle and agriculture.
Mr Katter said, “The Hughenden Project creates a model for eight of North Qld’s mid-west and gulf towns. The project will come before NAIF shortly. Elements of the Federal Government are very strongly committed to fuel security and this will create the perfect model for the annual drought problem of the cattle industry, and a start on providing the country with its own indigenous diesel/petrol – all of which is now imported from the Middle East. $20,000m a year on average goes to the Middle East which could be going into rural Australia.
“The econometrics model says ten jobs for every million dollars created; I think that is dead accurate. Particularly in the case of a little tiny town struggling. This would mean that 500 jobs would be created in Hughenden and a viable town of 6,000 or 7,000 people.
“This Scheme will stop the massive erosion and land degradation, and takes the prickly tree - which has wiped out all native fauna and flora – it takes its timber and transforms it into a commercial product; with two great benefits resulting - fuel security and viability if not prosperity for the struggling mid-west and gulf cattle industry.”
Mr Katter said the proposal would likely be before NAIF within a month and that negotiations for Hells Gate and NQBE would be put before NAIF within the next five months.
“We serve notice to the Federal Government; you have just seven months in which to stop yourselves from becoming a national laughing stock. You promised the 5% of the Australian population living north of the Tropic of Capricorn $500m in water development, and $5,000 million in water and other development. You have given us nothing in two elections, and you have been reduced to 1 ½ state seats in North Qld. The writing is on the wall and you have just seven months in which to prevent yourselves from having created some sort of world record going into three elections promising you will do this as a major election promise and having done absolutely nothing.
“But being Christians, we are a forgiving lot; there is still time to redeem yourselves.”