Media Release

KAP leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has welcomed re-elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s visit to Cloncurry this evening, but warns there is more work to be done in assisting producers in the region.

“We are deeply appreciative of the Prime Minister visiting so soon after re-election,” Mr Katter said.

“We hope he takes cognisance of the fact that while the cattle station owners got looked after – and rightly so – it must be pointed out that there are lot of other people that are not happy that they are being cut out of the Government assistance.

“Whilst the primary issue is to get cattle back into the area, and preference always must be given as assistance to the base industry, discussions will taking place this week with the authority that now has the confidence of a Government in office instead of a Government in election mode.”

Mr Katter said there were many cattlemen who owned and bought cattle, who did not own land, who didn’t qualify for the assistance as it currently stood.

“There are an enormous number of ‘job farmers’ as I call them, and more importantly businesses, that are germane to the industry and not the least being livestock hauliers and the local supermarkets, to quote but two examples,” he said.

“We emphasise that this is to be addressed at the authority level and it in no way detracts from our enormous appreciation of what Prime Minister has done for the North-West.”

—ENDS—