Media Release

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today expressed his outrage at the major airlines’ flight price hikes from North Queensland to Sydney for the NRL Grand Final weekend, saying it was simply price gouging.

The major airlines’ quoted prices showed that the price of a return trip from either Townsville or Cairns to Sydney had hit almost $2,000 this weekend, but reverted to normal pricing of approximately $400 return the weekend immediately following.

“This is absolutely appalling,” Mr Katter said today.

“It is outrageous to take advantage of the North Queensland people’s rugby league spirit and their local patriotism, to simply price gouge them.

“This is an opportunity that comes along perhaps once in a decade to see their team play in the Grand Final and our team badly needs the advantage of their local audience supporting them.

“The airlines should be utterly ashamed of themselves here.

“The sooner North Queensland is a separate State, the sooner we can hit back at everyone from Government to big corporations in order to get a fair go, rather than just being used as a milking cow.”