Media Release

KAP Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has welcomed $1.66m of Federal funding to develop the Mount Isa-Townsville freight infrastructure supply chain as recognition of the region’s current and potential significance to Australia’s economy.

"As home to a quarter-million people across an area stretching 1000km from coast to border and covering one-fifth of the state of Queensland, the $15,000 million a year that this region already injects into the nation’s economy is reported to increase by some 300-600 per cent up by 2050 up to $84,000 million," said Mr Katter today from Mount Isa, where he was joined by regional mayors and Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese in announcing the funding.

Mr Katter said the development of a comprehensive demand model to prioritise policy and project investment was a key component of the $1.66m in funding for a ‘supply chain coordinator’, who will be tasked with taking forward the recently-released 50-Year Freight Infrastructure Plan commissioned by peak regional development group, Mount Isa to Townsville Economic Development Zone (MITEZ).

"Closer examination of private infrastructure investment and regulatory reform, as well as the Port of Townsville vessel access and shipping cost structures, will build on the excellent groundwork by MITEZ that has shown this region desperately needs far more investment in freight infrastructure and better regulation of a vital supply chain that links Qld’s third-largest city to the world-class North West Minerals province," he said.

Mr Katter said the region’s potential had been stymied by a history of under-investment by governments, with the MITEZ report indicating the ‘forgotten supply chain’ would now have to rely on private investment in order to realise its full potential.

"So we hope that this step towards identifying investment and policy priorities will help avoid a repeat of the very sorry situation we had last year when, thanks to decisions by a foreign-owned company and a State Government, we failed to seize the opportunity to open up the wealth of the North West Minerals Province by connecting it to the National Electricity Grid," said Mr Katter.

Mr Katter commended MITEZ on delivering the 50-year Freight Infrastructure Plan within a year of being challenged by Infrastructure Australia to bring together all parties in the infrastructure supply chain – road, rail and port owners and operators, mining, agricultural and manufacturing freight customers, and local communities – to examine openly the long-term future demand for, and supply of, crucial freight infrastructure.