Media Release

KAP Member for Kennedy Bob Katter is pleased to see action on Adani after years of advocating but today’s announcement is not all that KAP had hoped for.

Mr Katter said, “Adani is essential, it is the gateway to the massive Indian market where 500 million people are without electricity.

“At long last we will see a giant leap forward in the creation of the Galilee Coalfields.

“As a representative of the Barrier Reef, Adani’s use of super ultra-critical technology nearly halves the omissions from existing power stations.

“If there is anyone to be thanked here, it is the much maligned CFMEU, who organised the meetings with my political party, KAP and the State Government at the highest levels.

“Just nine days later, the State Government moved from a position of foot-dragging, and announced their full support for the Adani project.”

But it is with deep frustration that KAP sees the most key piece of infrastructure being given by Government once again, to a foreign corporation.

Mr Katter said, “Whilst we remain strong supporters of Mr Adani, for both Governments to give the control of the coalfields to one corporation through that rail line is beyond belief.

“Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest said that Charles Court in Western Australia refused to build a rail line into the iron ore in WA. It cost the state 25 years of restricted growth.

“Mining companies will not open operations when they are at the mercy and control of a competitor.

“In the much maligned Bjelke –Petersen government we built over 6000km owned by the people of Queensland, who profited greatly from the cost subsidisation, such as free pensioner travel,

“It is imperative that the rail line into the Galilee -- where there is Linc, Resolve, Mac Mining (Chinese), GVK (Reinhart and Indian) Blackwood and Clive Palmer’s China First, to name but a few of the numerous miners that would like to open up on the Galilee.”

KAP Member for Mount Isa Rob Katter said he was encouraged to finally see progress on the project, however cited concerns about the Federal Government's moves to use the Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund as a loaning facility for the railway.

Mr Robbie Katter said, “Securing government funding for the North Galilee Basin Railway has been a KAP priority from the beginning, so we of course would prefer to see full government investment instead of a Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility loan.

"We need this huge piece of infrastructure not only to create jobs and assist the Adani mine going ahead, but also to remain in the possession of Australians once it is done.

"This railway should be a tool for other projects that may open up in the region, not just as a profit maker for Adani.”

Despite the questions behind the railway's funding, KAP Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth said his region was looking forward to making the most of the possibilities behind this project.

"We have proven to be supportive of opening up the Galilee Basin; we want to see jobs and royalties flow into our towns and councils," Mr Knuth said.

"It was only last month we were successful in securing a faster passage for the project to go through following changes to the water legislation.

"At the end of the day projects like these are the boosts regional Queensland has been looking for.”

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