Media Release

The Qld Government is playing political point-scoring games at the expense of a multi-million-dollar project to build an all-weather access and safe haven for marine craft at Mission Beach, says KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter.

"The Qld Government has revealed its contempt for the lives and livelihoods of locals and boaties by playing political point-scoring games over last week’s announcement of $5.5m in Federal funding for a lifeline facility," said Mr Katter following the claims that the money would not be spent on infrastructure.

"Instead of welcoming the funding and getting on board with the local community and Commonwealth to advance the project, the LNP Government has instead told Federal Labor they won’t be contributing financially.

"Then the State misled the public by claiming there was no commitment to capital works in the Federal funding, despite clear statements by Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan to the contrary."

Similar political comments by the Cassowary Coast mayor were also a disappointment.

"But the Qld LNP should be under no illusion that the people of Mission Beach will be fooled by this sort of cheap political point-scoring at the expense of their lives and livelihoods," said Mr Katter.

"Nor should they underestimate the determination of those people who have continued to fight long and hard for this vital facility since being brought to their knees by Cyclone Yasi.

"If the Qld LNP is intent on sacrificing the needs and wants of the people of Mission Beach in order to play party games, they should come clean with the people.

"They should explain why they have publicly used correspondence from a federal minister offering the $5.5m to make erroneous claims that it will not go towards capital works; yet conveniently don’t reveal their own letter of response declining to contribute financially.

"It is the height of hypocrisy that they accept this funding and promise the public they will, quote, ‘do everything they can to ensure it is spent cost-effectively’; yet publicly bucket the project and fail to tell the public they won’t be putting in a red cent.

"This disgraceful descent into lowest common denominator politics is an appalling indictment on a government that is obviously all-too willing to play with lives and thumb their nose at millions of dollars in funding for personal political gain."