Bob Katter

KAP Federal Member Bob Katter and Independent Member for Calare, Andrew Gee have been flanked by farmers out the front of a Woolworths in Bathurst in New South Wales to continue to crusade against the supermarket duopoly and to blow the whistle on the monstrous, unjustified markups of everyday fruit and vegetables. "The ACCC said in their February 2025 report there was no evidence of price gouging despite the fact that they are among the most profitable supermarkets in the world. Well, if you believe that, you believe in the tooth fairy and we will be moving for the head of the ACCC to be sacked when Parliament resumes," Mr Katter said. He said the rage he felt after reading the report left him with no other option but to prove farm gate prices in another part of the country were as bad as in north Queensland. "It is clear we set the agenda last year when we started the parliamentary year with an enormously powerful pig suit "snouts in the trough" stunt. On that same day, Woolworths reduced the price of over 400 items of food, and we introduced the Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill. Then, every other party announced they would be moving for divestiture." Mr Katter said that the farm price "stunt" in Bathurst drew the attention needed to ensure that Australian voters understood the two major "big boys" in the Parliament will look after the interests of the two "big boys" outside the Parliament, and that only independent MPs would be able to pressure the government into action. "The spotlight has been put fairly and squarely on the supermarket giants and what happens to parasites under the bright heat of a spotlight? They perish," Mr Katter said. Hon Andrew Gee said, "We need to get the snouts of the supermarket giants out of the money trough. "They are wallowing in world-leading profits while paying our farmers a pittance and price gouging consumers on the way through. It's shocking behaviour in a cost-of-living crisis. "Our Bill would give farmers a better deal at the farm gate and consumers a better deal at the checkout. "It would even the playing field between farmers and consumers on the one hand, and the supermarket giants on the other. "Coles and Woolies are amongst the most profitable supermarkets in the world. They have an 80 per cent market share and prices have risen 24 per cent in the last five years. These profits have been made at a huge cost to our farmers and their own customers. It's disgraceful. "Farmers are leaving the land because they can't make a decent return, and consumers are at breaking point. "Our Bill is a gamechanger that will finally bring these price gougers to account," Mr Gee said. Mr Katter said he had been contacted by farmers and consumers from all over the country who had asked him to continue to fight on their behalf after being squeezed for years by the greedy supermarket giants and their market power. "A number of our farmers pay themselves some of the lowest wages in Australia. Recent calculations are that most farmers are paying themselves less than $2 an hour," he said. "The return that an Australian farmer can get for their produce is generally split with 50 per cent going to wages, a further 49 per cent covering transport, fertiliser, packaging and farm maintenance, leaving only 1 per cent for the farming family. "I mean, are we just going to let them continue screwing the farmers down through the floor and charging the consumers a 'squillion' dollars? No bloody way." The Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill introduced to Parliament in March 2024: Forces divestiture of the supermarkets and their market power in the grocery sector to a maximum of 20 per cent within five years. Provides for 100 per cent markup on the price paid to producers, to what is charged to consumers. Scraps the 'food and grocery code of conduct', noting it fails to address power imbalances and instead provides a mechanism by which supermarkets control suppliers and producers. FARM GATE VERSUS SUPERMARKET PRICES

Independent Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, and Independent Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, have announced a major new push to protect Australia’s most productive farmland, warning that without urgent action, vital agricultural land will continue to be lost to development and changing land use. If re-elected, the pair will introduce legislation, titled the Protecting Australia’s Prime Agricultural Land Bill, to safeguard Australia’s prime agricultural land, ensuring it remains dedicated to producing food and fibre for Australia and the world. Mr Gee said the need for action was clear, with urban expansion, explosion of lifestyle blocks, infrastructure and large-scale industrial projects rapidly consuming prime-quality farmland. “Food security is a key part of our national security. As the population of the world increases, food security is going to be a critical global issue and may even be a source of future conflict. It’s fundamental to the ongoing success and prosperity of our nation,” Mr Gee said. “Once prime agricultural land is gone, we can’t get it back. It’s a strategic national resource. You can’t grow food once the land is covered in concrete.” For the Central West, Mr Gee said the legislation would help secure the region’s agricultural and economic future. “This is about protecting the land that’s sustained our communities for generations,” he said. “This Bill backs our farmers, protects local jobs, and keeps the Central West one of Australia’s most vital food-producing regions.” Mr Katter said “The French and the European Union have said, ‘if we remove the farmers, we have no one to look after the land’. “Without farmers, the land turns into fire starters, feral pig pens and weed nurseries. “Farms are carbon absorbers. Take sugar cane for example, in a 12-month period a vacant field becomes solid CO2 absorbing biomass. A hectare of sugar absorbs 50 tonne of CO2. “If we lock agriculture out of our best grazing and food producing country then we will turn this nature wonderland into urban streets and industrial developments. “This bill gives the farmer the power to say, “bugger off.” The Protecting Australia’s Prime Agricultural Land Bill will ensure that prime agricultural land is preserved for agriculture while giving farmers agency and control over their land. The centrepiece of the policy will be farmers deciding how their land is used, not governments or anyone else. It would mean that people buying rural properties containing prime agricultural land would have to use that land for agriculture. It will take a strategic and nationally coordinated approach to supporting farmers’ rights to use and manage their land productively and ensure land use decisions do not undermine Australia’s future agricultural capacity and security. ENDS

Katter’s Australian Party MP Bob Katter has been out walking the streets and asking locals one simple question: “If you were the boss of Australia, what are the top three things you'd do?” “And I’ve got to say – I’ve loved the answers. Real, honest, common-sense ideas. One of the most popular? Cheaper fuel. And they’re dead right,” Mr Katter said. “Cheaper fuel isn’t hard. It’s not rocket science. In fact, there’s no country on earth better set up for ethanol than Australia. We’re one of the biggest sugar and grain producers on the planet. But instead of turning that into affordable, clean fuel – we hand our money over to foreign-owned oil corporations.” “What sort of country buys all its petrol from overseas when it has the resources sitting in its own backyard?” he asked. “We buy our fuel and even our solar panels from overseas – solar panels that are made in coal-powered factories in China, by the way – while we could be producing both our fuel and electricity here for half the price. Using our own workers, our own contractors, and supporting our own farmers.” “If people keep voting for the major parties, this madness will continue. You’ll keep paying through the nose while the profits keep flowing offshore.” ENDS

“This place needs to be allowed to play its role as the industry powerhouse for the state and national economy,” the Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Member for Traeger, Robbie Katter has said while in Mount Isa today. Flanked by the Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, Mr Katter doubled down on calls for all levels of government to prevent Glencore from sitting on Australian critical minerals. “The Prime Minister has said that the centre point of tariff negotiations with Trump are critical minerals,” he said. “Well, the North West Minerals Province is Australia's trump card. “It shows how out of touch Canberra and Brisbane are when you have on the same day, the Prime Minister touting our critical minerals and you have Glencore announcing they’re closing Mount Isa Mine and threatening to close the smelter – all due to energy prices. “You simply can’t have a critical minerals future in Australia without CopperString and a functioning copper mine and smelter at Mount Isa. “Australia’s sovereignty and international bargaining chip is being held to ransom by a Swiss-based global commodities trader, the Prime Minister must act urgently to defend what is rightly ours,” Mr Katter said. The Member for Traeger called for new thinking in how to keep a copper smelter serving the whole region. “We don’t want saving, we want reform. “We want arrangements such as an equity share or a new common user smelter, not cash handouts to Glencore. We need a special economic zone out here, and CopperString completed. “We need confidence for the whole region and Australia’s critical mineral future that there will be industrial capacity – not left to be pending an arbitrary decision from the profit hungry Glencore’s boardroom. “It’s immature of all governments to allow our nation’s sovereignty to be at stake,” the Member for Traeger said. The Member for Kennedy echoed his calls to keep the Mount Isa Mine open. “I will be doing everything humanly possible, even during this election period, to make sure the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader commit to keeping the mine and smelter open and securing our future wealth,” he said. “Any money given will not be given to a foreign corporation as a gift. It will be to ensure an ownership role in the smelter,” the Member for Kennedy said. The Member for Traeger also reiterated that CopperString’s completion was essential for any future for the North West. “Firstly, cost figures of $14 billion are just so outrageous they’re laughable,” he said. “I’ve had very reputable project builders confirm to me that the figure should be much more like four to five billion, today. “PowerLink and others are out in the public domain squabbling about costs, with clear mismanagement to date, but the new Queensland government just need to tell us out here when it’s going to be built, and how projects can connect,” he said. “Get that out of the road, and we have a Little Eva Copper, we have a copper smelter, we have more volume. “We need all levels of government to step up and take charge of our State and Nation’s future, and we need them to do it now,” Mr Katter said. ENDS

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter, joined by Hill MP Shane Knuth, Tablelands Mayor Rod Marti, and Tablelands Cycle Sports President David Prete, has called on state and federal governments to commit funding for crucial pre-works assessments on stage two of the Atherton Forest Mountain Bike Park (AFMBP). Mr Katter emphasised the park's expansion would be vital for the economic prosperity of the Tablelands region and the broader Far North. "This is a region that pumps out sugarcane, avocados, bananas, coffee and more for the rest of the country – really, it's the food bowl of the north – and what do we ask in return? Just a small investment in infrastructure that brings people here, keeps locals active, and gives people something to do besides staring at a screen." Stage one of the AFMBP, delivered in 2013, was a collaborative effort involving Tablelands Cycle Sports (TCS), Tablelands Regional Council (TRC), Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and First Australians representatives. The trail network now spans approximately 55 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails designed and constructed by World Trail . Stage two aims to add over 50 kilometres of internationally benchmarked trails, positioning the AFMBP on the national and global map for mountain biking destinations. "These trails will be inclusive, world-class, and profitable," Mr Katter said. "They'll get kids off the couch, tourists out of the airport, and dollars flowing into the Far North." The existing trails meet almost all the criteria required for international trail recognition under World Trail benchmarking, including airport proximity, accommodation, and a natural landscape. The primary enhancement needed is increased trail density, which this expansion seeks to address. "David and the team at Tablelands Cycle Sports have done the hard yards for over a decade. And I really must acknowledge the work they've done to get this project to where it is today. They've maintained the trails, raised the flag, and pushed all three levels of government to take this seriously," Mr Katter said. "This isn't just about Atherton – better trails here mean a better chance for other northern towns like Cardwell and Mission Beach to increase the quality and quantity of their trails and capitalise on the momentum we are seeing elsewhere." KAP State Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, expressed his longstanding support for the AFMBP and urged all levels of government to collaborate on funding stage two. "I met with the Minister for Tourism recently and outlined how important this project is," he said. "Mountain biking is a rapidly growing sport and so is the adventure tourism market worldwide. "We have already seen Derby in Tasmania take advantage of this through significant government investment, which has paid off with an incredible increase in visitation numbers. "The Atherton Tablelands is perfectly placed to take a big chunk of this market and become a world-class destination not only for tourism but as a training base for international competitors for the 2032 Olympics. David Prete, founding President of Tablelands Cycle Sports, highlighted the potential of mountain biking for the region. "Tasmania got in early – they saw the opportunity[ 1 ]. Derby now attracts 60,000 plus visitors a year, and Whistler in Canada makes more money in the biking season than the ski season," Mr Prete explained. "Mountain bikers are high-value visitors – they stay longer, they spend more, and they come back[ 2 ]. This is a game-changer for Far North Queensland." A completed business case indicates the project would return $4 for every dollar invested and generate nearly $70 million for the regional economy over the next decade. "All we're asking for is funding to do the groundwork," Mr Katter said. "Stage one was a joint effort between Council, State, and Federal Governments – and it'll take the same kind of commitment again to make stage two a reality. "This is a golden opportunity to secure the Far North's future. So Canberra – saddle up and back it in." ENDS [1] www.theaustralian.com.au/travel/how-mountain-biking-helped-tasmanias-derby-blaze-a-prosperous-new-trail/news-story/62bf8806cfc19484c6528357d173009e [2] www.tourismtasmania.com.au/siteassets/documents/ttas-ua-mtb-enthusiast-profile.pdf

FEDERAL Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has welcomed key elements of the opposition's budget reply speech, particularly the commitment to a reserve resource policy (RRP)—a policy Katter has championed for over 15 years. The policy works to ensure a percentage of Australia's natural resources, in this case, gas, are reserved for domestic use before being exported. It is designed to safeguard Australia's energy security, lower domestic prices, and prioritise Australian industry. While acknowledging the opposition's move towards protecting the nation's natural wealth, Mr Katter also praised the Albanese government's commitment to regional infrastructure. "We praise the prime minister for committing to the great inland highway, and we thank the opposition leader for the RRP, which we've been screaming for—for more than 20 years," Mr Katter said. "We ask questions in parliament, and these questions stay in their memory bank," Mr Katter said. "The opportunity has arisen for him [Dutton] to act upon those questions. "I hope it is more than me preaching for RRP, but I'm not sure if I've ever heard anyone else preaching for it," Mr Katter remarked. For nearly two decades, Mr Katter has been a sustained and lone voice in the parliament pushing for a reserve resource policy after being part of the inner-power group in the Queensland Bjelke-Petersen government, which implemented a similar policy and saw Queensland's development proposer and household electricity bills remain stable. "Queensland's (former) reserve resource policy meant most of the state's electricity was coming from the world's biggest power stations and had zero input costs – the coal was free, taken by law, by the government under the RRP," Mr Katter explained. With Australia paying up to $16 a unit for its gas, while countries like the United States paid about $6 a unit, Mr Katter said the nation "could not compete" in manufacturing – a key influence in rising cost-of-living pressures. "Gas prices threaten the entire existence of industry in Australia. With the grim outlook for coal and all mineral processing – Australia is looking down the barrel of 200,000 jobs vanishing and, within three years, a plateau of the iron ore industry. "The outlook is as barren as the middle of the Simpson Desert. "And until now, governments (past and present) would rather export our resources, sell off our assets and let foreign companies prosper, rather than implement a reserve resource policy and retain our assets; which would reduce the ever increasing costs of living," said Mr Katter. "But let's see if the LNP are serious about this or not, or if it is just another 'polly promise' on election eve." ENDS

FEDERAL Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has praised the efforts of government services and community groups in reducing the rates of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and rheumatic fever by half in the First Australian populations of Mornington Island, Doomadgee and Mount Isa. “While this is a fantastic outcome moving towards closing the gap, we need to do more; we need to get back to the basics with people having access to fresh fruit and vegetables,” he said. “When I was minister for Aboriginal affairs in the Queensland Government, communities had market gardens so every family could access fruit and vegetables without paying premium prices for freighting it from down south. “People in the community were taught and paid to manage these market gardens and the whole community benefited,” Mr Katter said. First Nations Health executive director Christine Mann said a partnership with Orange Sky to provide access to clean linen and clothing has reduced the incidence of scabies, sores and infected skin conditions and North West HHS have recorded a decrease in RHD in First Australian communities. The project also includes training health workers, clinicians and community members in the risks and signs of RHD. Ms Mann is also proud of fostering a culturally inclusive and safe health service. “We are fortunate to have dedicated First Nations staff that exceeds the national target by three times, with First Nations people currently representing 10 percent of our workforce who work tirelessly to shape solutions to provide services that work towards closing the gap. “Having a strong and well-represented First Nations workforce, that is complemented by skilled and passionate clinicians and health service support staff, is a solid way we can enhance the accessibility of the health service, ensure culturally safe health care and improve patient experience for First Nations,” Ms Mann said. ENDS

FEDERAL Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has voiced strong opposition to the proposed listing of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) as a Weed of National Significance (WoNS), highlighting its vital role in Australia's beef industry, urging the government to abandon the proposed listing. "Buffel grass wasn't brought here by accident – it was introduced because it's one of the best options we've got. It holds the soil together and keeps the cattle fed even during drought," Mr Katter explained. "The Gulf and Peninsula were built on buffel, Brahman, and bitumen." A WoNS listing could impose legislative restrictions, mandate removal efforts, and initiate biological control research aimed at eradication. Such measures threaten one of Australia's most vital pasture species, which underpins the livelihoods of countless Aussie farmers and sustains production of beef that is essential for domestic and international food security. "Buffel grass is essential to the northern cattle industry, and to label it as a weed would be counter-intuitive, turning all of the North into a weed-infested dust bowl," Mr Katter emphasised. Talk to any northern cattle farmer and they will tell you it is not just good cattle fed, buffel grass protects soil, cools the ground, sequesters carbon, and supports native fauna. Its deep-rooted resilience has dramatically improved rainwater efficiency and environmental sustainability across Australia. "Buffel grass is not some noxious weed—it's an improved pasture grass. It holds the soil together, soaks up the rain, and has improved sustainability while reducing erosion," Katter said. "Meanwhile, terrible invasive species like lantana, prickly acacia, rubber vine, and feral cats and pigs, should be demanding our attention. Why on earth are we wasting our time even talking about this?" Mr Katter criticised the narrative surrounding buffel grass as being rooted in anti-livestock ideology rather than genuine environmental concern. "Rural and regional Australia will not survive without an effective, improved pasture—buffel is the best pasture grass we've got, and anyone saying otherwise needs their head read," Katter declared. KAP Leader and Member for Traeger Robbie Katter said the federal government's consideration of adding buffel grass to the WoNS registry, a move driven by ideologically-motivated environmentalists, was extremely misguided. "These people are fools - they can't be bothered to take consequential action on the myriad of extremely serious weeds and pests that are destroying Australia's native ecosystem, and yet they want to pursue this," he said. "The fact remains that we have to feed our nation and, buffel grass, for what limited environmental risk it poses, is one of our best performing pastures and one that underpins the entire northern beef industry. "The need to be able to deliver on our food production demands leaves for dead any perceived environmental risks buffel grass poses. "Sometimes you have got to wonder if these 'green' groups, whose bidding the government is doing here, won't stop until our entire agricultural industry is dead and we import everything into this country." AgForce Queensland Cattle President Lloyd Hick said, "This is not an isolated issue. It is part of a broader pattern of decisions being made without industry input, with disastrous consequences for agriculture and Australia. If the beef sector does not push back hard on this, it will be taken as a win and another critical pillar targeted next. "Producers are increasingly frustrated as time and energy that should go into food production is spent pushing back against agenda-driven ideas and re-educating city-based decision makers who think they understand the land—but don't." ENDS

Katter's Australian Party Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, has issued a critical response to the 2025 Federal Budget, highlighting serious concerns about its lack of proactive infrastructure planning, onerous regulatory overreach, and obvious lack of investment in agriculture and mining industries. "The 2025 Budget reveals a government more focused on reactive policies rather than proactively addressing the needs of our nation. "Our agriculture and mining sector is the backbone of our country's economic growth and prosperity. "But it is clear that the country is nothing more than a quarrying nation. Its income comes from iron ore, coal, bauxite, silicon – none are processed. We are giving our most vital resources to foreign landlords while shutting down our most lucrative industry: coal," said Mr Katter. Supermarkets $38.8 million has been allocated for a crackdown on misleading and deceptive pricing and $2.9 million to support suppliers to enforce their rights under the grocery code of conduct. "I can't see these measures providing any of the real significant reform that we need to break the duopoly and make the supermarkets more accountable to the Australian public," Mr Katter said. "Already, the Australian supermarket sector is seen as the most profitable in the world. They are making these profits from heartache, equally experienced by both consumers and suppliers. We need real and significant reform which includes forced and mandatory divestiture, a maximum 100% markup and removal of all onerous regulation imposed on suppliers. "Government is also proposing to reduce the cost of 30 essential products in remote First Australian communities. However, not one cent is being provided to allow these communities to become self-sufficient through the restoration of market gardens. "Give a man a fish and you'll feed him for a day. Teach him to fish and you'll feed him for life." Government needs to learn from the parable." Bank charges and scams The Budget proposes to remove unfair, excessive credit card surcharges, ban debit card surcharges, and provide $6.7 million for anti-scam support. "This measure may be applauded, but to really protect the Australian consumer, we need continued and guaranteed access to, and acceptance of, cash. Further, banks should be required to repay consumers that have fallen victim to scams." Critical minerals and mining Katter voiced strong opposition to the federal government's approach to critical minerals, noting its obvious omission from the key budget documents. "The "Future Made in Australia" has been hijacked by the "Wokie Greens" as a "junket" for costly renewables," he said. "The critical minerals sector is a strategic asset for this country, and yet the government is sitting on its backside while promising that we'll be swimming in wealth. We'll be drowning in foreign ownership and green tape. "The so-called 'use it or lose it' legislation is needed to address the bottlenecks in mineral extraction, but the reality is that new mines are being held to ransom by unnecessary regulations. "Significant investment is required to ensure Mount Isa remains the industrial and service hub of the NW Minerals Province. This Budget lacks that detail," Mr Katter said. "And coal should not be regarded as a dirty word but instead be seen as a cheap and reliable energy solution to provide for Australia's wealth and economic generation for many years to come. "We make no apologies for being the black warriors. Coal is King." Infrastructure: reactive, not proactive "Look at the state of our infrastructure: we are reacting to problems as they come up, rather than planning ahead," Katter said. "If we are truly serious about the future, we need to focus on proactive infrastructure." Mr Katter also highlighted the need for crucial infrastructure projects, including: Bridle Track Tunnel Fast track CopperString (transmission line connecting Townsville to Mount Isa) Inland highways from the Atherton Tablelands to the mid-west Bruce Highway – the Seymour and Gairloch Bridge HIPCo (Hughenden Irrigation Project Corporation) as a template for Cloncurry, Julia Creek, Richmond, Doomadgee and Burketown Diversion of the Upper Herbert Reuben Richardson's pump storage project Maintenance and upgrades to key roads and rail lines As stated above, funds are urgently needed for all-weather access roads in key areas to support emergency management and regional development. In response to Mr Katter's question in Question Time, the Prime Minister confirmed that $17 billion was allocated for the Bruce Highway, and another $97.3 million for the completion of the Kennedy Development Road (between the Lynd and Hughenden section of the Great Inland Highway). "When the Bruce Highway was cut off at the Ollera Creek Bridge, transport and freight came to a halt. Communities north of Townsville were cut off for nearly three weeks and an area that produced 15 percent of Australia's fruit and vegetables were unable to get to market. The supply chain was seriously impacted, and it was felt around the country," Mr Katter said. "What is not clear in the Budget is where this $17 billion will be allocated. Since November 2021, $40 million has been allocated for the Gairloch and Seymour areas, yet no construction has started. "Construction of the Bridle Track Tunnel, which will provide emergency evacuation for Cairns and the surrounds must be a priority and connecting the Great Inland Highway (Lynd to Charters Towers section), and key roads like the Bruce Highway at Seymour and Gairloch must also be fast-tracked to ensure our industries remain uninterrupted. "Every time we see a heavy rain depression, Townsville and Ingham are subject to flooding. It is time we introduce flood diversion measures for the Upper Herbert and Ross Rivers to reduce downstream impacts. "These are just a few of the projects that could provide long-term economic stability for the country. Instead, we're stuck with a Federal Budget that is playing catchup rather than laying the foundations for a prosperous future," Mr Katter added. Transport "$130 million in loans for Rex Airlines is the last thing we need in rural Australia after decades of overpricing and unreliability. This loan was required because Rex (like others before them) arguably abandoned rural Australia for more profitable routes. "What's needed is a government owned, rural focused airline that provides connectivity between very remote locations and their administrative centres. These tickets should be subsidised by government to a price equivalent to the public transport subsidies in Brisbane." Fuel and energy "$150 wiped from a family's power bill for the second half of this year" is a shortsighted vote grab," Mr Katter said. "And a further $8 billion has been allocated for renewables and low emission projects. "However, these measures do not acknowledge that the most cost-effective and reliable power source is still from coal-fired power generation. "We need real measures to reduce the cost of electricity, and investment and upgrade rather than the shutdown of our coal fired power stations. To ensure that Australians can have continued access to cheap, reliable power, we cannot afford the extravagance of renewables," Mr Katter said. "For fuel, we need a serious plan for Australia to become self-sufficient in fuel. We have all the natural resources to rival the most self-sufficient fuel resources in the world – 10 hectares of cane produces 10,000 litres of fuel that we could use in our cars (ethanol). Yet we are almost solely dependent on fuel imports. Even our fuel reserves are stored in America." Health & rural communities GPs have seen an $8.5 billion injection to ensure visits across the country continue to be bulk billed. In response to health announcements, Mr Katter pointed to the government's failure to adequately address the needs of rural communities. "The government has failed to significantly address the shortage of GPs in rural and regional areas, and their approach to pharmacy regulations will only make it harder for rural Australians to access the medications and services they need. "A lot of these measures, whilst effective in metropolitan areas, will do little to address the current health crisis due to the lack of healthcare workers in regional Australia. "We also need a national cap on pharmacy ownership and, where appropriate, the roll out of accreditation for issuing of repeat scripts." Additionally, Mr Katter stressed the importance of supporting First Australian communities with better nutritional standards, focusing on developing local market gardens to provide fresh produce. Housing Katter also took issue with the government's approach to housing, calling for the removal of land restrictions in non-metropolitan areas to encourage growth and alleviate pressure on urban centres. "Whilst this measure has been noted in repeated budgets, all housing development is still hamstrung by onerous regulatory oversight, making housing unaffordable and out of reach for everyday Australian families. "It is noted that $120 million has been provided for the national productivity fund to remove red tape relating to modern construction, but this does not go far enough to address excessive regulations imposed by the three layers of government that are prohibiting the release of land and substantially increasing the cost of building. "The proposal to ban foreign buyers from buying existing dwellings for two years, and to target land banking by foreigners is applauded, however, the question should be asked, as to whether or not this will increase the market competition for new builds." Family tax reforms & corporate accountability On tax, Katter emphasised the need for income splitting to support families and called for an abolition of current immigration policy. Income splitting would allow families with parents of differing wages to split their high wage for tax purposes so that less overall tax is paid by families. "We must abolish immigration and start again. "Government should be using the monies spent on supporting immigrants to instead support Australian families by providing $20,000 per child per year to their primary carer/s," he stated. Katter also proposed the abolition of ASIC, arguing that corporate oversight should be handed over to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with stronger penalties for corporate wrongdoers and proven law enforcement capabilities. "Corporate rogues must be stopped and prohibited from reforming," said Mr Katter. Emergency management In terms of emergency management, Katter called for a portion of the $6 billion in annual GST revenue from insurance to be specifically quarantined for infrastructure projects that reduce flood risks and allow for relief and recovery. "Raising, sealing, and widening roads, as well as building new roads to connect Cairns to the Tablelands, as well as flood-proofing the Bruce Highway are crucial investments in disaster mitigation. "The Government also needs to address the shortfalls with the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool that has left premiums in northern Australia four times the amount the southern cities pay. This is grossly unfair particularly as the Pool may now be completely absorbed by those impacted by the recent cyclone in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales." Telecommunications Katter also acknowledged the government's commitment to the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation (UOMO) for mobile phones in regional and remote Australia but warned that while it's a step in the right direction, the policy only covers emergency calls (000) and basic voice calls, not data or streaming. "This is fine for emergencies, but it falls short for businesses, schools, and communities that rely on robust connectivity including data for everyday communication and economic activity," he said. Fun and freedom The beer tax has been frozen for two years from August 2025. "This will assist many of the fabulous brewers and publicans that we have in the north and restore our sovereign rights to enjoy a beer at the pub without sinking all your hard earned," Mr Katter said. Summary In response to the 2025 Budget, Mr Katter said he was once again left with little faith the country would return to its nation-building potential in any foreseeable future. Instead, the Budget is a mix of band-aid and tokenistic solutions that will do little to generate the real wealth that our nation needs. "It spends billions on tokenistic, "Wokie Green" causes - squandering the nation's wealth and stopping job creation.  "It is clearly an anti-development anti-jobs agenda, with no mines and no agricultural consideration, whatsoever. "This budget is full of metro lollipops and its only outcome is decay." ENDS