Media Release

KAP Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter is continuing the fight for nervous landholders who look set to lose their properties through the Australian Defence Force’s expansion plans.

Mr Katter met with Finance Minister Cormann and the Defence Minister Pyne during the last sitting week in Parliament.

Mr Katter told the Finance Minister there are more cost effective areas than Hervey Range for the ADF’s training expansion needs to meet the Singapore Defence Deal.

Mr Katter said, “I told him there won’t be much change from half a billion. One of these properties was recently sold for over $17m.

“Well there are 23 properties in this proposed resumption area.

“They can acquire a vastly more secure area for under 30 million verses half a billion!

“My experience of these issues is that Government end up paying two or three times the market price when these things are fought out in the courts.

“An extra two hours’ drive to the other side of Pentland (where I propose the ADF buy out) would be neither here nor there.

“The other side of Pentland is very poor country. There is no run off from that area to the Great Barrier Reef or domestic water.

“All the problems of the Range simply do not exist at Pentland

“You do not take prime agricultural area to use for a military training area.”

In fierce contrast to Mr Katter, Senator Ian McDonald -- who is based in Townsville supports the deal.

Mr Katter said, “The Liberal spokesman (who I’m sure many Liberals would like to put a bung in his mouth, in his vast wisdom he lost the LNP the seat of Townsville and most of the QLD seats too…) well, he’s come up with a gem here.

“Probably the most serious issue here is the strangling of development .

“Townsville has only one serious growth corridor which is Hervey Range.

“This proposal will land lock Townsville. It is disastrous for the city.

“We are positive for the expansion, but not at the expense at our future meat works, the future growth of our city, the destruction of prime agricultural land and serious issues of ordinance running on to the Great Barrier Reef.”

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