Media Release

KAP federal member for Kennedy Bob Katter has joined Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth in a seething attack on Ergon Energy blaming their manpower cutbacks as the reason behind multiple recent blackouts in Charters Towers.

Mr Knuth has labelled Campbell Newman’s $550 million ‘Taj Mahal pleasure-dome’ precinct an improper investment of money.

“Money is now being squandered to build the $550 million Taj Mahal pleasure-dome; that money should be invested in our energy assets and its work force.

“This is no time to be cutting back and reducing our energy manpower. We need jobs and we desperately need to hold onto infrastructure that makes money and provides jobs.

“There is no doubt about it; privatisation means profits for the corporations. It is not about delivery of a reliable service, it’s a short term grab for cash.”

Mr Katter – who served as a former Queensland Government energy minister before privatisation of the State’s electricity began – has said his predictions of regular blackouts being an inevitable result of corporatisation are now becoming a reality.

“This is the second time in the last two months that there has been a complete blackout in Charters Towers.

“This is the first time in my life that I have seen a black out twice within a two month period. This is what you get when you have a government with privatisation/corporations policies.

“The LNP Corporation have made disastrous decisions on cutbacks and sell-offs. Jobs are lost, the maintenance is not being carried out and the money is quickly drying up. This is completely unacceptable,” Mr Katter said.