Media Release

07 February 2017: Today KAP Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter congratulated the landholders on their fierce victory over the Government.

The Deputy Prime Minster and Defence Minister have given the guarantee, “no one will be forced to sell their land against their will.”

Shortly after Mr Katter asked the Deputy Prime Minister to come meet with the landholders, and after a number of meetings with Senior Ministers on the matter last year, today’s victory is a sweet reminder that sometimes the voice of the people will be heard.

Mr Katter said, “The announcement that there will be no forced resumptions is a great victory for the Charters Towers landholders committee.

“The principal of an Australian’s block is his kingdom needs to be fought for at all times.

“I said at their first meeting that if we’re united and if we are uncompromising we can win, the landholders did exactly that. They were fiercely united and fiercely uncompromising.

“We want to put on record our thanks to Minister Sinodinos and to Minister Cormann who were responsible for our First Round Victory. I want to put on public record our sincere thanks to Minister Joyce who has played the key role in this end game and this great victory.

“We also thank Minister Payne… But we must say that the Public Servants were quite happy to go spend over $1000 million of taxpayer’s money on resumptions -- because that’s what it would have cost us. Now we could easily get the land that is required in Nth Qld for $10million to $12 million.

“The towering irresponsibility and incompetency in this decision must be assailed by the Government.

“It is with deep regret that the leadership in the farmers’ associations copped out on the Backpacker’s Tax and if they had stood strong and united and uncompromising, we would not have that tax now. Let us follow the example of the great heroes on this issue – the Charters Towers cattlemen.”

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