Independents and KAP to block asset sales
The State Member for Mount Isa, Rob Katter said although the sudden election announcement would inconvenience most state candidates of any party, he was pleased to now get into campaign mode to ensure there was a strong stand against city centric major parties.
“While it’s a bit cynical rushing an election in while people are still on holiday mode, we welcome the opportunity for people to put pen to paper and hold this government to account.
“Personally I am ready to stand with the KAP in the electorate of Mount Isa, and I am pleased the campaign will be short and sharp so we can get back to the business of fighting for people in the North West.
“We have a golden opportunity for KAP and other Independents who have worked well together this Parliament, to hold the balance of power and primarily stop asset sales which will be disastrous for people in Western Queensland.
“The LNP has spent $20 million of taxpayers’ money on ramming asset sales down our throat, trying to convince us it’s a good thing.”
Mr Katter said the upcoming election was a referendum on asset sales.
“The KAP and Independents signed an accord together guaranteeing the people of Qld that they will vote as a bloc to stop asset sales.
“Then we can see some resources and funding flowing back into the regions.”
Mr Katter said the Mount Isa electorate didn’t need big flash office buildings or traffic tunnels in Brisbane, costing millions.
“We need money that is earned here in this mineral resource region, put into our infrastructure here, and that’s what I’ve been fighting for and will continue to fight for.”
He said the Royalties to Regions program was a farce.
“For real leverage in getting proper regional infrastructure we need the cross benchers holding the balance of power.”
Bob Katter, Federal Member for Kennedy and Rob Katter, State Member for Mount Isa, address the media today outside Parliament House.
This news story mentions that KAP has signed some sort of accord with current Independents, and they hope to be re-elected and to then hold “the balance of power”. Let us hope that a variety of MPs (KAP, PUP, Independents) other than the Laboral duopoly get elected – for the sake of good democracy.
I wish that KAP and others would say that Q’ld needs an Upper House. It would overcome the “winner takes all” dominating attitude which happens now by both Labor and LNP – now you have the situation that a bureaucrat (sometimes corruptly, sometimes misguidedly) persuades a Minister, then he persuades Cabinet, and then the party room goes along with it. Therefore you ave NO no checks and balances. At least in NSW, federally and in all States other than Q’ld there is a second round of debating in the Upper House, where alternate views can be aired.
I gave to Clive Palmer and Alex Douglas my proposal as to how you could bring it about an Upper House in Queensland, but got no feedback and no reply. in summary – after an election, you group the lower house MPs into groups of three, and ask them to sort it out in each group of 3, or you toss a coin if they cannot, so that two of them get electorates 1.5 times as big and one of them becomes an Upper House MP. same number of MPs: same cost; two-thirds of them as lower house MPs, one-third of them as upper house MPs. and then in the subsequent election you elect upper house MPs by a proportional representation method such as in our federal Senate or NSW Legislative Council. regards, Lex