Media Release

24 October 2017: KAP Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, today distanced himself from comments made by Senator Hanson advocating cuts to welfare.

“Once again KAP insists that it’s the Governments’ job to be the catalyst for development that will create income and jobs.

Mr Katter’s response comes in light of reports that welfare costs are now costing $300,000 a minute. He pointed to the much maligned Bjelke-Petersen Government, where industrys were created from nothing – coal, aluminum, the Cairns, Gold Coast, Whitsundays tourism, and dams creating the cotton industry and doubling sugar production.

“Our party is closely identified in the public mind with the Hanson party on many issues, and quite rightly so. Often as not we sing from the same hymn book. However, KAP distances itself from Senator Hanson’s advocating cuts to welfare.

“Most welfare recipients are in the main retirees, receiving only $700 a fortnight.

“Our retirees suffer exploding costs for electricity, home insurance and council rates.

“The abolition of ‘out-patient’ facilitys at hospitals is forcing overworked doctors in private practice to charge people, when before they only bulk billed.

“They have to charge patients $20 or $30. Retirees on $700 a fortnight finding money for doctors on top of electricity, insurance, council rates – no way. This is the free hospital system being eroded and wound up by the LNP/ALP. Hanson may ‘advocate’ cuts to welfare, but the ALP/LNP are ‘actually’ cutting it as we talk.

“The answer isn’t to cut welfare, the answer is to create more jobs we need to again become nation builders.

By opening up the Bowen Basin Coal Fields and introducing a Reserve Resource Policy - quarantining a portion of Qlds coal – our power stations were fired on free coal thus creating the cheapest electricity in the world. This then created the aluminum industry. The Government drove development creating jobs. In stark contrast today’s LNP/ALP governments stagnate with inaction and ‘gunna dos’.

“This is a very rich country but the Governments’ of Australia through bureaucracy, incompetence and ‘gang green’ influences stop us from tapping into this wealth.

“KAP is determined that the ‘Sheriff’s of Nottingham’ - the LNP/ALP - will not rob from the poor to make up for the incompetence and inability of their Governments to drive development and create jobs.”

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