Media Release

“YOU are not alone,” Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter reassured cyclone victims who gathered at Friday night’s community meeting in Tully called by Mr Katter to hear their concerns about Qld Government-administered recovery initiatives.

“The meeting most certainly demonstrated to the Deputy Director General of the Department of Economic Development Agriculture and Food, Bruce Turner, and the Qld Rural Adjustment Authority CEO Colin Holden, that we are by no means on the final stretch in recovering from cyclone Yasi,” said Mr Katter.

“On the contrary, there’s a growing sense of abandonment out there. There’s a feeling that a lot of the attention has been disproportionately focused on Brisbane and that the forgotten victims in North Qld will end up with only crumbs from the $1.8 thousand million package being raised by the Federal Government’s disaster levy.”

The public forum followed numerous complaints to Mr Katter’s office regarding significant concerns across a range of recovery issues; such as insurance, the clean-up, and restrictive eligibility criteria for a financial assistance from wage subsidies to grants and loans.

Also present at the meeting were Qld Government officials and a panel of community representatives – John Hoare (for ‘Cardwell Moving Forward’); Barry Barnes (Tully community); Will Neville (Mission Beach Tourism chairman); Dick Camilleri (sugar industry); and Paul Johnstone (banana industry).

Mr Katter said evidence of recovery roadblocks was being amassed to present to Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan, who had consistently asserted that the recovery package should not be overly restrictive.

“We will be seeking discussions early this week with the Treasurer and will call for weekly reports on how much recovery money is going to Brisbane compared to North Qld,” Mr Katter said.