Media Release

15 March 2018: KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Hon Bob Katter MP has today called out the appalling hypocrisy and ‘dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t’ attitude by the Queensland Department of Environment for fining an Atherton man for saving a snake and fining Queensland farmers for killing crocodiles on their property.

Mr Katter said, “It’s an exercise in power for some (the Department) for others it is an exercise in love (the wildlife carer).

“There are people who regard the environmental movement as providing themselves with power that they would never command in their own right – as they do not deserve it. Whereas, most North Queenslander’s love nature, that is why we live here in North Queensland instead of a concrete jungle,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter’s comments come as an Atherton wildlife hospital owner, Harry Kunz was fined $4,500 for having a snake without a permit, having removed the scrub python from his neighbour’s house, with the intention of releasing it back into the wild.

Last week, 69 year old Deeral farmer Errol Francis Copley was fined $500 for killing a crocodile that was a threat to him on his own property, while last month, Luke Orchard from Rockhampton was fined $10,000 for shooting a croc which was a threat to his livestock.

“We have had two cases in the last three months where they talked about stock and fear of access to equipment - if you have a big croc in your creek on the farm you are in a dangerous situation,” Mr Katter said.

“The crocs get hungry and eat animals which walk around. There is absolutely no doubt your life is placed in peril if you are in proximity to crocodiles.

“We North Queenslander’s are sick of these ‘two minute wonders from Melbourne’ or the ‘Darlinghurst Divas’ who have been in North Queensland for two minutes – but they want to tell us what to do on our own land, in our backyard,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter pointed out the disconnect of the Queensland Department of Environment after cyclone Larry and Yasi where they threatened to fine local people who were feeding cassowaries which were starving after the devastation and loss of food from the two cyclones.

“I think there would be large areas in North Queensland where the Cassowary would have become extinct, particularly after cyclone Larry. There were people threatened with prosecution for feeding the cassowaries after these cyclones. After a public outcry the bullies in the Department of Environment backed off because there was such a violent reaction from people who loved their Cassowaries and did not want to see them starve to death.

“Written under the Eureka Stockade is ‘When oppression becomes law, resistance becomes duty’ – this is what we are facing in North Queensland,” said Mr Katter.

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