Media Release

08 November 2017: Hon Bob Katter MP, KAP Federal Member for Kennedy and KAP Federal leader, with the guidance of KAP State candidate for Condamine John Hill are drafting legislation to change the Federal Government’s proposed inland rail route through Millmerran, the Condamine Flood Plain, Pittsworth, Southbrook and onto Wellcamp to an alternative route that will protect farms, property and livelihoods.

The legislation will look at a new alignment which has regard for community, cost, environment, safety and operations.

KAP State candidate for Condamine John Hill said there have been alternative routes proposed before, but none have been considered, despite concerns from the community.

“The first thing they have not done is taken notes of the concerns raised by the farmers, land owners and residents along the proposed route. Many properties and residents will be severely inconvenienced by the proposed route,” said Mr Hill.

“Any attempt to cross the flood plain would cause unnecessary erosions and create enormous cost in construction foundations for the railway line. Alternative routes are available that should be considered by the Minister before a final decision is made.

“People in this region must receive honest assessment of their concerns. Many submissions have been put forward and it appears that no honest evaluation has been done, and certainly no feedback as to why the various options have been found unacceptable,” Mr Hill said.

Mr Katter said he’s seen this situation before and is aware of the disastrous problems, “I, probably more than anyone else in Qld, am aware of the disastrous problems that will be created by cutting across a watershed.

“When John Hill took me to a series of meetings I knew the problems they were outlining only too well, I’ve had to live with it in my old State electorate, the outcomes were bad enough in my homeland, but they will be infinitely worse on these close settled farming areas.

“Our farms are 50 thousand acre pastoral holdings; whereas this line will be banking up water through closely settled and intensely cropped farmed areas. Many hundreds of farmers will be destroyed.

“KAP gave a commitment to the people of Condamine that we would move in the Parliament for a repositioning away from ‘the new’ government alignment,” Mr Katter said.

The legislation will set the guidelines to choose a route that achieves the operational service agreements, avoids crossing highly productive farming land, utilises brown field and less densely populated corridors and incorporates a Community Consultation process that includes all affected stakeholders.

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