Media Release

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has today strongly endorsed Former Union Chief David Harrison's departure from the ALP and his comments that the ALP has indeed "lost the plot".

"In 1985 we were producing 74 per cent of our motor cars. It's heartbreaking when you compare this number to the 2010 figures that were just 12.7 per cent.

"We have lost nearly 70 per cent of our car manufacturing industry over the last 25 years. If we continue with these current trends, within five years, there will be no car manufacturing in this country at all.

Mr Katter said it was appalling that Australia could be at risk of not being able to produce an electric motor or a tyre for itself warning that the country is going backwards.

"Within three to four years we will be technologically a backward country – we will be in a backwater," Mr Katter said.

"In Queensland, the Government has closed nearly half of our TAFE Colleges and training centres. Our training has been replaced by foreign fly-in workers on 457 Visas".

Mr Katter said that Obama and Bush’s quote that, “if it contains one dollar of taxpayers’ money that it will contain 100% American steel”, should resonate like the liberty bell in Australia.

"This Government has been disastrous for this country, but an extremist free market LNP Government will be just as bad. Anyone who can think knows that,” said Mr Katter.