Media Release

KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter today expressed his fury and rage that the Queensland State Government was proposing to enact laws that would stop any new ports being built along the entire reef coast, saying it would only impede development and cost jobs.

“The Queensland Government hasn’t been there 10 minutes and once again they’re impeding development,” Mr Katter said.

“To tell towns like Cairns and Yarrabah that only Townsville is allowed to have a port, well like bloody hell.

“We’ve got massive bauxite, massive silicon, massive copper, massive iron ore, massive coal – all in Cape York – and what we’re not allowed to get any of it out ever?

“They have no concept that people have to have jobs, and to have jobs you must have development.

“If the Minister thinks he can take off the people of Yarrabah their right to have a deep water port and command the royalties from that port, as well as the jobs and economic development that flow, then he’s got another think coming.”

Mr Katter also questioned the Minister’s jurisdiction over the ports ban.

“At the end of the day the new Minister in Queensland needs to wake up to the fact that below the high water mark belongs to the Federal Government.

“I’ll be moving legislation to address passage of ships through the reef, if protection is what people are really concerned about here.

“There are inherent dangers to the reef with ships going off course or deciding themselves they want to go through a reef, there are natural breaks in the reef and ships’ passage should be confined to those breaks.

“I’ve spoken to Greg Hunt, Federal Minister for the Environment, today and he has assured me that the Government is also moving in this direction and will provide me with the full details of what is happening in due course,” Mr Katter said.

At the end of the day, Mr Katter urged Far North Queensland to stand up and fight the proposed ports ban.

“We need to stand united and fight.

“There are a lot of people who are strong Labor supporters in Far North Queensland and they will be in a rage and a fury about this, including the unions who will be looking out for their members.

“The Government is going to start looking at their polls in Far North Queensland shortly and they’ll understand that,” Mr Katter said.

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Photo: Mr Katter examining plans for a deep water port at Yarrabah with Mayor Errol Neal and Trent Twomey of Advance Cairns (photo credit Kelly Thompson).