Bob Katter

Bob Katter has welcomed the prime minister's decision to freeze the beer excise, which currently increases biannually, but says this is a temporary fix and doesn't go far enough to support consumers and hospitality venues. "People are paying through the nose for a simple beer at the pub," Katter explained. “Let’s call it what it is – double-dipping. The government is slugging people who’ve already paid tax on their hard-earned wages, and now they’re taxed again just to enjoy a cold one with their mates. "This freeze is a start, but it's a band-aid on a bullet wound. A tax that has gone up more than 80 times in 40 years? We’re talking about the third highest beer tax in the world! "I mean, let's just think about the flow on effects here," Katter said. "People are working longer hours, they're going out less, absorbed in technology more than ever – let me tell you now – this story doesn't end well for any of us. "This is about more than alcohol access. The pub is where you take a load off alongside your fellow man, whether he lives modestly or he's a millionaire. Seated on a stool at a bar, we are all the same. "Small pubs are the heart of these regional towns and communities, and are closing every single week. And on that figure, I do not exaggerate. Meanwhile, this year Canberra will cash in to the tune of $8 billion from alcohol tax alone. Mr Katter called on the prime minister to take long term action and respond to the concerns of the hospitality sector. "The Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and the Queensland Hotels Association (QHA) have put forward sensible solutions – a fair go for pubs, clubs, and their workers. It’s time for a review. We need the government to say where they stand on this," Katter said. Paul Grover, owner of the Silkwood Hotel, believes the freeze should be on all alcohol, not just beer. “They call it an excise, but strip it down and it’s a tax,” Mr Grover said. “Alcohol is alcohol and not everyone drinks beer. This is like taxing someone differently depending on the colour car they drive. It doesn’t make sense. “When GST was brought in, they assured us that no tax would be taxed again but here we are. “We’re getting less and less people through the door. If that’s not sending alarm bells to the government that they’re killing an industry then I don’t know what will. Mr Grover believes the live music industry is also at stake. “Even the biggest names at one time played in smaller venues, and if the government keeps killing our pubs, there will be nowhere for up-and-coming acts to perform. So, without that avenue you can say goodbye to local talent. “Every way we turn it’s getting harder and harder to keep the doors open,” Mr Grover said. “Wages are going up, plus increases to the super percentage, and now electricity is going up too. “It’s hard not to feel like small business is being shafted by the government and it’s just wrong.” ENDS

Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, together with Hinchinbrook MP, Nick Dametto, has today welcomed the activation of Category D Disaster Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 for impacted farmers following the devastating North Queensland floods, attributing full thanks to the sheer determination and unrelenting fight of local leaders and industry champions. More than $50 million in extraordinary disaster recovery packages were also announced to support North Queensland’s recovery, jointly funded by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). The package includes increased grants of up to $75,000 for primary producers, $50,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits, as well as funding for councils and community facilities across the region to assist with clean-up, repairs, and long-term reconstruction. At a press conference in Ingham today, Mr Katter extended his heartfelt thanks to the dedicated locals who refused to take no for an answer. “I want to thank Leah Russo, Grower Director with Canegrowers, for her tireless advocacy and sharp focus on what her growers needed,” he said. “Shane McCarthy, President of AgForce Queensland, was relentless in keeping the pressure on and making sure the voice of agriculture couldn’t be ignored. “Lawrence Di Bella, QCAR Herbert District Manager, provided firsthand evidence of the destruction and losses, making the case for support undeniable. “And I pay special tribute to Robert Lyon, a Herbert River district cane grower, who fought like a tiger for his community. He made sure the reality on the ground was heard loud and clear in Brisbane and Canberra.” Mr Katter also praised the leadership of Hinchinbrook Mayor Ramon Jayo and KAP State Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto. “Ramon Jayo stood tall for his people every step of the way, and Nick Dametto was a bulldog in Brisbane, ensuring the fight stayed front and centre,” Mr Katter said. “The combined effort of these people—and their refusal to back down—delivered this outcome. Without them, we’d still be stuck in the bureaucratic mud. “We thank the Prime Minister and the Minister, but I want to be very clear, it is because of this group of people with a tiger in their tank —that the grants have finally been delivered. “The people of Hinchinbrook and the Herbert can take heart that their fighters on the ground never stopped swinging.” Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said after the region had suffered the largest flooding event in over 50 years, it would come as a great relief to those who are eligible for the increased grant funding. “These grants will provide a leg up for many small businesses, primary producers and community organisations to assist them to rebuild at a time when it can feel like they have lost everything,” he said. “I would like to thank all those who have advocated and worked towards this important outcome for our district.” Mr Katter stressed the need for faster action in future disasters. “We all know North Queenslanders are resilient, but we shouldn’t have to fight this hard or wait this long. “When you’ve got crops in the ground rotting and machinery out of action, decisions should be made in days—not dragged out over weeks.” Mr Katter vowed to keep pushing for a more responsive disaster funding system that treats North Queenslanders with the urgency and respect they deserve. “But today, we celebrate the win—and we thank the fighters who never gave up.” ENDS

Member for Kennedy Bob Katter is supporting calls for Mount Isa and Cloncurry to be classified as ‘very remote’ so teachers can access the federally funded Reduction of Higher Education Loan Program (HELP). “We have written to the minister for education requesting an urgent review of the location classification systems in use and how we can streamline results and definitions across Australia,” Mr Katter said. Currently, education uses the ABS Remoteness Structure, which classifies Mount Isa and Cloncurry as ‘remote’, while health officials use the Modified Monash Model (MMM), which classifies the North West towns as ‘very remote’. “While both location’s classifications use data collected during the national census every five years, with the results collated into the Australian Statistical Geography Standard – Remoteness Areas (ASGS-RA), the differing results for our teachers living and working in remote areas is significant,” Mr Katter said. HELP provides financial assistance for students to pay costs associated with higher education. During 2024, the HELP scheme covered nearly $122,000 of education costs for the majority of students taking up work in very remote locations and $175,000 for graduates of medicine, dentistry and veterinary studies. “Despite being a wonderful place to live and raise a family we have difficulty recruiting qualified and experienced teachers to the North West, and when they see their fellow public servants who work in health being given extra benefits to work in areas away from the coast, well it’s not fair is it?” Mr Katter questioned. “I may be biased when it comes to how good it is living in north Queensland, but I am not blind to the challenges people in remote areas contend with; issues our coastal cousins could not even comprehend. “Not many metropolitan families would be comfortable with unqualified teachers instructing their children, waiting eight weeks to see a GP and paying between $125 and $300 for that appointment, waiting years for knee operations that will alleviate disability, driving a 20-hour round trip or paying $800 for a two-hour flight to the nearest city with no inflight meal or entertainment. “Yes we are tough in the North West but enough is enough; we demand the governments do more to progress remote communities towards having access to the same services provided to our city cousins,” Mr Katter said. Queensland Member for Traeger Robbie Katter has also contacted the federal education minister on this matter. ENDS