Media Release

17 November 2017: KAP Member for Kennedy Hon Bob Katter MP is appalled by the news that only a third of staff employed by NAIF (Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility) actually live and work in the Cairns where NAIF has its headquarters – the rest live in Sydney and Brisbane.

Mr Katter said, “The issue is one of the headline reasons the real worthwhile projects for North Queensland have been ignored given most of their staff and interests are all either overseas or in Brisbane and Sydney.

“Just as the Government promised, it has created jobs – that is jobs in Brisbane and Sydney.”

This comes on top of three projects being looked at for funding are majority foreign owned, the board having meetings in Sydney and NAIF costing $2.4m when in the first 15 months of operation (to 29 September 2017) they had not approved one project.

“NAIF is clearly there to promote foreign ownership and not the development of Australia, by Australians for Australians,” said Mr Katter.

It is reported that so far three of the projects being considered by NAIF are going to foreign companies - Onslow Marine Support Base – Thailand, Adani Mine – Indian, and Ord River Scheme – Chinese.

“In fact even the slightest knowledge of northern Australia would show, for example, that Adani shuts down the Galilee basin bar one mine. It does not open it up.

“The Galilee Basin could open up to other Australian mines but no one else will ever use the Adani rail line if it’s built by Adani and not owned by the Australian people,” Mr Katter said.

Media reports show up to end of September 2017 NAIF has cost $2.4m. Costs included $630,000 for directors’ fees and $410,000 for the CEO’s salary.

Mr Katter has put forward suggestions of projects which would allow North Queensland to prosper.

“NAIF clearly should be looking at the Hell’s Gate proposal; the real heart of this project has the potential of nearly $3000m worth of annual export earnings. As well as NQBE (North Queensland Bio Energy) incorporating sugar, ethanol and power generation at Ingham.

“7 micro irrigation projects at the Gulf and mid-west Cairns and hinterlands towns, this coupled with on farm irrigation and title deeds for first Australians are worth $6000m to the Australian economy.

“And don’t forget the Queensland Government built railway line to open up the Galilee - $5000m a year (not subsidising foreign owned Adani to close down the Galilee),” Mr Katter said.

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