Katter urges Government to redivert leftover 2019 cattle flood disaster funds to combat devastating locust plague
September 9, 2025
KENNEDY MP, Bob Katter, has today penned and delivered letters to the Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins, the Minister for Local Government and Emergency Management, Kristy McBain, and the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, calling for urgent federal assistance to control the locust plague currently tearing through Queensland’s mid-west.
Mr Katter said the outbreak is “decimating pastures and crops, piling new misery on producers who are still reeling from repeated natural disasters in recent years.”
“In the Julia Creek floods of 2019, a hundred million dollars of federal funding may well have saved a thousand million dollars’ worth of cattle and maybe a hundred million a year in lost production,” Mr Katter said
“It is a classic example of the adage “a stitch in time saves nine” and Government needs to return to the agility that it had in years past.”
In his letter, Mr Katter stressed that local councils have sounded the alarm and urgently require additional resources to manage and contain the locust infestation.
“This plague has caused widespread damage to grazing country and cropping areas. Our producers are already battling from floods, fires, and droughts. They cannot be left to shoulder this crisis on their own,” Mr Katter wrote.
The correspondence calls for consideration of redirecting unspent funds from the 2019 North-West flood cattle disaster relief package, which Mr Katter says remain idle in Treasury.
“Our understanding is that there was an underspend from the 2019 flood recovery program, and those leftover funds, which have been accruing interest, are still sitting in Treasury. We’re simply asking that, at the very least, this interest be made available to support councils and landholders in fighting the locust plague now, and to strengthen long-term weed and pest management,” Mr Katter said.
The letter also pointed out that the Commonwealth has previously committed $20 million for pest and weed control in the south-west region and urged the Government to deliver an equivalent level of support for the North-West.
Mr Katter said the Treasurer’s role would be central to any immediate solution.
“Treasurer, your leadership and swift action will be vital in helping our communities manage this crisis and protect Queensland’s vital agricultural industry. Effective measures must be implemented without delay.”
Mr Katter reiterated that the issue is time-critical, with the potential to wipe out productivity in one of the nation’s most important cattle and cropping regions.
Bob: “Back in my day, we used an automatic gate opener.” Wendi: “I have one. The gate just automatically opened for me.”
Bloody Alex and his inner-city trendy accent… It’s pronounced “Boulia” ya drongo!
Radicalisation is happening NOW in Australia. If the alleged terrorist was radicalised in Australia… The threat is frankly, not only at our doorstep, it’s in our house! If this is not a warning shot that government needs to better protect our borders than what will be? For too long our government has allowed hatred and extremism to persist... branding anyone that speaks against such groups as ‘racist’ and ‘far right’. Australia should be a land of hope not hate... a land of opportunity… freedom … and fun. Government immediately stop allowing extremism under the guise of multiculturalism. Stop allowing those that hate our society and our way of life to live on our shores. Instead welcome those who value our cultures and beliefs.
In FNQ towns like Innisfail, Tully, Mission Beach, Atherton, Tolga, Mareeba and Lakeland, the banana industry is part of the very fabric of the community. Similarly around Coffs Harbour in NSW and Carnarvon WA. Thousands of wonderful people: 🍌 grow or work on banana farms 🚜 mechanics fix our tractors ⛏️ rural suppliers provide our equipment 🚚 trucks transport our fruit 📦 packaging companies provide our boxes 🏗️ engineering works make our trailers 🚜 earth movers fix our headlands and many others contribute proudly. We love our AUSTRALIAN BANANAS.
Mabel - A travelling irrigator like no other to soak the parched, rich black soil plains of the mid-west. Bob has a dream for untold economic wealth and prosperity... with dams, roads, rail, ports to facilitate huge agricultural, mining and processing growth. Bob met with the lads at JAM (Johnstone Agricultural Machinery) to share this dream and discuss his plans for ‘Mabel’ the travelling irrigator!
Woke, identity politics is killing Australia. We’re free. We’re capable of responsibility. We know who we. We know what we want to do. Stop telling us what we can and can’t do, and who we should and shouldn’t be.
Mythical ‘tribal’ groups own millions of hectares across Australia. Sure these groups earn millions in administration, houses and limited community facilities are built, but no individual title deeds are ever available. Not one single First Australian can own their own house on community lands. They can’t renovate or improve with pride, they can’t start a business, they can’t use the equity in their house as collateral… they have absolutely no means to improve their families finances unless they leave the region they call home. Successive governments keep throwing money at these communities but they will not remove the economic handcuffs that would allow businesses to grow, and homes and businesses to be built with pride through hard work and sacrifice.
AUSTRALIA NEEDS TO BETTER USE OUR GREAT MINERAL, AGRICULTURAL AND LAND WEALTH Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Our mineral resources are vast. Our agricultural potential is huge. We have millions of hectares of land unutilised or under-utilised. Australians should be swimming in wealth …. NOT drowning in debt. Successive governments have slowed our economy to a grinding halt in a ruthless pursuit of a WOKE agenda. A REVOLUTION is coming… Australians are starting to fight back against the corporate and political elite that have sold and squandered our great Nation. It’s about time that government starts governing for the betterment of Australians or GET OUT and let the independent fighters that TRUELY represent their electorates and Australia have a go!!!!
Everyday, wonderful and courageous men and women of our police forces put their personal safety to the side to protect Australians. Most make it home… some, tragically, do not. Today we remember and pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
