Katter says: time to deal with crime in the north
Following a major crime rally in Cairns over the weekend, Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has renewed calls for immediate action to tackle North Queensland's crime crisis, pushing for the introduction of Castle Law and Relocation Sentencing as real, effective solutions.
Mr Katter, who attended the rally alongside KAP State Member for Hill Shane Knuth, praised the event organisers and the victims who bravely shared their stories.
"A huge thank you to Brynie Risser-Guyatt, Emily Cocks Wheeler, and Allissa Tenni, as well as the victims who spoke out," Mr Katter said. "This rally was sparked by a horrific attack, but it's just one of many. The people of Cairns and Townsville are living in fear, and they have had enough."
Mr Katter said the rally underscored the growing lawlessness in the region and the failure of the state government to respond.
"This is the reality we now face: law-abiding Australians are terrorised while weak governments do nothing," he said.
Alongside Mr Knuth, Mr Katter outlined Katter's Australian Party (KAP) solutions, including Castle Law—which would give homeowners the right to defend themselves—and Relocation Sentencing, a policy that would take repeat offenders off the streets and place them in remote areas to work.
"We will not stand by while our communities live in fear," Mr Katter said.
Thank you to Through KK's Eyes Photography for sharing these powerful photos.
"The crowd made their voices heard loud and clear. There was overwhelming support for these policies—people have had a gutful of offenders getting a slap on the wrist."
Mr Katter also took aim at the state government's failure to adequately address the crisis, rejecting the idea of spending more taxpayer dollars on ineffective solutions.
"I'm not going to provide $800,000 a year to look after these little criminals," he said.
"There's no room in the jails. And I'm not going to build a billion-dollar jail, and neither is the government!"
Mr Katter criticised the Queensland premier for failing to acknowledge the dire state of the justice system.
"I don't want to accuse the premier of telling fibs, but if he doesn't know there's no room in the jails, then he's either ignorant or he's telling lies," he said.
Instead, Mr Katter called for a return to tough, no-nonsense policies that would send repeat offenders far from urban centres.
"We're going to do what was law in this country 200 years ago—send them 800km from here. They'll live in a tent, just like I lived in a tent for two years defending my country," he said.
"The answers are there, and they're clear. Castle Law: you come into my house, you better be the one worried—not me."
ENDS
