Media Release

10 July 2015: KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter MP is today attending a series of meetings in Mareeba with Independent State Member for Cook Billy Gordon MP.

Mr Gordon who sits on the Queensland Parliament with KAP State members Rob Katter MP and Shane Katter MP who are in the very powerful position of holding the balance of power in Queensland. Mr Katter and Mr Gordon’s North Queensland electorates overlap and include the town of Mareeba.

The balance of power situation gives a unique opportunity to Mareeba, Kennedy, North Queensland and the regions to have their voice heard and deliver development, industry and growth.

“In the spirt of cooperation, this is the State and Federal members working together.

Mr Katter and Mr Gordon’s meetings will include the region’s First Australians, diverse fruit and vegetable growers and Tableland Cane Growers. Many of the issues facing these stakeholders overlap between State and Federal Government responsibilities.

“We will be tackling down the most serious of issues today. The issue of monopoly power in the sugar industry and an ethanol mandate. The very critical situation with ethanol, we have the Government of Queensland to agree to a mandate, but the levels they are talking about are joke levels.

“We need jobs and the possible introduction of one of the most successful job schemes for our First Australians from Mt Isa.

“We need to get Mareeba jobs into our cattle industry and which should be there on First Australian lands, but they are almost totally bereft of cattle.

“With our growers the serious issues of market power in fresh fruit and vegetables, the mandatory code of conduct and biosecurity will almost definitely be raised,” Mr Katter said.

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