"This country used to have thriving industries: tobacco, peanuts, maize, flour, citrus, grapes, and about 30 major food lines. Each one smashed," Mr Katter said. "Now they tell me 46 per cent of Australia's fruit and vegetables come from overseas. You think the average Australian would believe their own government did this to them?" Katter pointed to the sugar industry as a textbook example of what's gone wrong. "Once upon a time, 23 of our 26 sugar mills were owned by local farmers. Now, go check it, every one of them is foreign-owned. The Nationals and Liberals gave away the industry under a so-called reform deal that handed over $270 million a year to reduce protections and open us to the mercy of the global market. Labor just rolled over and went along with it. "We are the only country on earth that sends our gladiators, our food producers, into the ring without a helmet and shield. The rest of the world? Their farmers are supported to the tune of 41 per cent of their income. In Australia? Four per cent. You think we're 36 per cent better farmers than the rest of the world? Give me a break." Mr Katter also condemned the hypocrisy of the federal government pouring $100 million into corporate giants like Bunnings and Officeworks to install EV chargers and solar panels [1] while regional food processors are shut down. "While they shovel public money into Bunnings, Woolworths, and Coles, who already mark-up fresh food by over 200 per cent, we're shutting down regional factories and family farms that feed the country. It's completely absurd." With the closure of Tolga's peanut processing facility, the Atherton Tablelands loses another key pillar of its agricultural base, putting growers, workers, and communities at risk. "We are rapidly losing the ability to feed ourselves," Mr Katter warned. "When the ports close, or China decides to flick the switch on exports, or international prices go up, we'll be sitting here naked, with no shield, no helmet, and no food." ENDS [1] www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/28/australian-government-loans-100m-to-install-ev-chargers-and-solar-panels-at-bunnings-and-officeworks-stores

"I am informed that Glencore shut the Ernest Henry mine because they claimed it wasn't profitable," Mr Katter said. "Well, the current owners have done it at a record-breaking profit. That should give you a very clear picture of how incapable Glencore really is. "This is a flashing neon light as what I view as the sheer incompetence of Glencore's operations within this country," Mr Katter warned. The Ernest Henry operation, near Cloncurry, was sold to Evolution Mining in 2022. Under this new ownership, it has delivered significant returns and reinvestment in the local economy. The success of the new operators adds fuel to long-standing concerns about Glencore's stewardship of Australia's copper assets, especially the Mount Isa Mines copper smelter and mining operations. "If they cannot run Ernest Henry at a profit, and we can see that another company can do so with their eyes closed, then they have no business holding onto the copper mine or smelter," Mr Katter said. "It's high time they handed over the reins to people who know what they’re doing and are willing to invest in the long-term future of the Northwest Mineral Province." Katter has long argued for the national interest control of critical minerals infrastructure, saying multinationals, like Glencore, prioritise overseas shareholders over Australian workers and regional development. "What we are now seeing is proof that Australian-led enterprises can do what these foreign giants have refused to do: make it work, and make it work well." ENDS

“We applaud them,” Mr Katter said. “Since my grandfather’s time, which was a long time ago, we have been waiting for a railway line from the Northwest to the Gulf. They were building it once, but when they struck gold, they stopped at Julia Creek. “This company is doing what governments have failed to do for over a century – they’re getting on with the job, and I wholeheartedly applaud anyone involved,” Mr Katter stated. Mr Katter noted the use of light rail from Nardoo Station for part of the journey, dramatically reducing transport costs. Mr Katter also noted current reports indicate $5 per tonne is being spent to move raw materials – something light rail and water transport can reduce significantly. “Materials can be moved into the Leichhardt River Canals using the Panamax-class vessels. Once on water, freight costs are slashed dramatically. This isn’t a transport solution; it is a nation-building project. It opens up vast areas of untapped wealth, gives us the infrastructure we should have had generations ago, and puts Australian enterprise back in the driver’s seat,” Mr Katter observed. Mr Katter said he hoped all levels of government would support the initiative, but stressed that even without it, the private sector leadership shown here was a more than welcome change. “Too many times, we see bureaucrats and politicians sitting on their hands while regional Australia gets left behind. Well, these people aren’t waiting. They are building, and we should be backing them every step of the way.” ENDS