Media Release

20 January 2018: Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter is sending a letter to Townsville City Council asking why Mr Adani, one of the wealthiest people on Earth, needs $18.5m from Townsville ratepayers for an airport into the Adani mine.

It comes after Townsville City Council and Rockhampton Regional Council announced they would jointly fund a $30 million airstrip for the Adani Carmichael coal mine in Central Queensland, despite the fact the airstrip is hundreds of kilometres from both cities.

“I did not believe the news item when I heard it, that rate payers of Townsville were going to be building an airport 200 to 300km away for a foreign corporation,” Mr Katter said.

“If the foreign corporation needs $18.5m, then I think we can safely assume the project is in real trouble. Which brings us to my curiosity as to why a city (without a proper water supply), is using rate payers money to give to one of the wealthiest people on earth.
“We have written a letter to the Council, asking specifically whether they have secured any agreement in writing with respect to jobs. Have they asked the Adani Corporation how many jobs they will control? How many will be controlled by contractors?
“Have they had a legal opinion of what their chances would be enforcing a contract against one of the bigger Corporations on earth? Why does Mr Adani need S18m off the Townsville City Council for a project when he is purportedly outlaying $6000m?
“Since Townsville State, Federal and Council - with the exception of Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto and myself - is totally represented by the ALP - the council is ALP, the state members are ALP, and the Federal Member is ALP. We, as the voice of opposition, think any responsible Council should provide us with answers to these questions - we’ll await their reply.”
Mr Katter also questioned why a Government owned railway line into the Galilee Basin, potentially opening up to more than 20 other mining companies, was not being considered an option, “I want to know why so called socialist State Government, and so called socialist State Members and Councillors have not made the slightest effort to get the Government to build and own a railway line.
“If a railway line is privately owned, no other one of the 20 potential mining operations will open up. If the people of Qld build a railway, the State Government will get its money back within 3 or 4 years. I know because I was in a Government that did this under the great Sir Leo Hielscher, Chairman of the Queensland Treasury Corporation.
“I’m beginning to think that there is an unpleasant odour in the air,” Mr Katter said.

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