Media Release

Australian Party Federal Leader Bob Katter is foregoing his parliamentary pay cheque to join the battle for one of the most critical elections facing Queenslanders in the state’s history.

"I’m paid an extra $150 a day when in Canberra... well it costs me $150 a day when on the road," said the Member for Kennedy.

"But what is more important? To be sitting down there in air-conditioned luxury playing party games or to be here fighting a life or death struggle for every industry I represent?

"The battles for our sugar and banana industries were not fought sitting on our backsides in Canberra – nor was it where the nation-building Northern Australia Clean Energy Corridor project, worth some 20,000 jobs and myriad economic benefits, was conceived.

"The go-forwards for Queensland – the Townsville to Mt Isa transmission line; dams; ethanol to rescue our sugar industry and deliver us cheaper electricity and fuel; driving down the dollar to rescue our tourism and cattle industries – we can only do this if we get political clout, and we need a lot more than one seat in Canberra and two in Brisbane.

"The ALP/LNP have left no doubts that 14,000 foreign workers will be flown in to take our jobs, take our money, undermine our pay rates. The ALP/LNP will sell our rail lines (QR), our giant power stations, our transmission lines... and probably grandmother’s false teeth. There’s no difference between the two. Nothing will change."

Mr Katter said the major parties had been intent on "pressuring me out of the field".

"From Cape York to Camooweal, Cunnamulla to Coolangatta – it’s on!" he said.

"While the major parties luxuriate in the limousines and leather couches of Canberra, collecting their extra pay every day for the puppetry of voting along party lines despite the best interests of their constituencies, I will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our candidates in our battle to bring Queensland back from the brink."