Media Release

KAP member for Kennedy has called on the State and Federal Government to provide development funding for the community buyback proposal of Queensland Nickel (QNI).

The community buyback working group met on Wednesday in Townsville. The group has put together a management team that could reopen the plant in a short period of time.

The group includes many who were senior management at QNI.

Mr Katter said, “The people at this meeting are committed and determined that the plant should be reopened.

People think we’re going away. We’re not going away. If nobody else on the planet cares that 2000 people do not have a job now…we care.”

The need for $170,000 in development funding for the buyback proposal was an outcome of Wednesday’s meeting.

Mr Katter is calling on the State and Federal Governments to split the cost 50/50.

“The Government needs to look at a pathway – way forward – formulated by people ‘who know’ and the Government needs to put out some money in order to do that,” said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter (who represents a quarter of the Yabulu workers) will be immediately requesting the money for the proposal , “…if you can’t care enough to put $85,000 out there for at least having a look at the proposal Mr Federal Government -- people will make a harsh judgement upon you.”

At Wednesday’s meeting, one of the State’s most highly respected engineers stated the cost of an external consultant to complete the due diligence proposal would start at $1 million. The buyback group can deliver the report (which is urgently needed) for $170,000.

Mr Katter points out nickel prices are very cyclical, “they will go down but just as surely they will go up. It might take two or three years. Alan Bond came into a situation like this and made a squillion dollars…Clive Palmer did the same.”

Mr Katter said the Federal Government will have no credibility if it goes around talking about $5 billion for northern development when it won’t provide a “mere” loan guarantee of $150m, which will restore 2000 jobs in the greater Townsville area overnight.

Mr Katter said, “members of parliament from both major parties managed to hide out, dog it, and keep shouting, ‘Clive Palmer’, hoping the problem will go away. Comeon fellas, lets pull together, face up to our responsibilities and demand this money. 2000 Townsville families are fighting for their homes and enough money to buy food for the next week.”

##ENDS##