Mixed bag for North Queensland in Federal Budget: Katter

October 27, 2022

KENNEDY MP Bob Katter has welcomed significant announcements listed in the Federal Budget for North Queensland including $225m for exploration grants in the resource-rich “North West Minerals Province” near Mount Isa, significant investments in protecting Australia against foot and mouth disease, grants for invasive weeds and feral pigs, and funding to improve telecommunications in the electorate’s many black spots.


Despite this, Mr Katter warned that cost pressures will be placed upon Australia’s largest employer group, small business owners, who will now be forced to foot the bill of the expanded paid parental leave.


Resources

The Federal Government has announced $225m for exploration grants in the North West Minerals Province and $99.8m over three years from 2022–23 for the Strategic Critical Minerals Development Program to support Australian critical minerals producers overcome technical and market access barriers.

“North Queensland is the hub of new-age minerals, the minerals we require to produce batteries for electric motor cars – nickel, cadmium, copper.

“We asked the Prime Minister on Tuesday if he was aware of the North West’s potential, and we were very pleased with his answer recognising the availability of minerals and their sovereign requirement.

“And the PM’s has been as good as his word with serious money in the budget. It seems a government at long last has seen what we clearly see in the North West.”

Mr Katter also welcomed $22m to develop Townsville’s Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, which will host advanced manufacturing and technology industries that will underpin future jobs in North Queensland.

“We’ve had conversations with the French company supplying the nickel and cobalt and they are taking this project of new-age minerals very seriously.”


Agriculture

Mr Katter welcomed the Government’s announcement to right off $14.7m in debt for 5300 farmers through the Farm Household Allowance scheme.

“This wonderful scheme was secured by Mareeba’s rural allowance action council and if your farm did not make its repayments, the government topped you up. On the evidence we have, one in five Australian farmers survived only because of this wonderful scheme.

Mr Katter also praised significant investment into biosecurity which included $14m to improve defence against lumpy skin disease, $14m to improve defence against foot and mouth disease, as well as a $10m package for Indonesia to prevent the latter disease entering Australia.

There was also $30m announced for the removal invasive species, which in North Queensland include feral pigs and prickly acacia and there was a further $13m announced for innovative measures to remove invasive weeds.

“With the notorious prickly acacia and the pig devastation we have got to ensure that it gets priority in that $30m. It would appear that the pyrolysis type conversion of pricky acacia in Townsville surrounds can be seriously addressed with money from this $13m pool.”


Water

Mr Katter said there was still hope for the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme after the government announced deferring funding of $899.5 million of water projects including HIPCo to be reconsidered once business cases were completed. The Government will retain $1.0 billion over eight years from 2026–27 in the National Water Grid Fund to support future projects.

“They want a business case, well the business case is already there. But this is a project, that unless we’re going to accept the depopulation in 95 per cent of Australia, they have to look at Hughenden.

“The survival of this nation seriously depends on the occupation of the landmass of Australia. I think there has been a disconnect between the departments and ministers here.”

Mr Katter said he wasn’t surprised to see $5.4bn for Hells Gate had been scrapped.

“I can understand the decision because the proposal before the Federal Government, no sane person could have proceeded with that proposal and it didn't produce anything for North Queensland, it destroyed the five great benefits that flowed from the proper Hells Gate proposal.”

 

Jobs and skills

Mr Katter welcomed the Government’s move to increase the migration cap from 165,000 to 190,000 to address the workforce shortage, but said he was concerned about the focus of that migration cap being on Afghanistan.

“It is very worrying because they have a continuous history of violence, they have no history of democracy, rule of law or award wages.

“You must give priority to nations with similar values.”

Mr Katter also welcomed the announcement allowing pensioners returning to work to earn $11,800, up from $7,800 without having their payments affected.

“That’s excellent news and whilst it’s a trial we have got to make sure it becomes permanent; they are a highly skilled workforce. To put an irreplaceable workforce on the scrapheap is beyond my understanding.”

Telecommunications:  

With multiple mobile blackspots throughout the Kennedy electorate, Mr Katter said it was always welcomed news to see continuous funding for improved telecommunications.

The Government is investing $111m to improve mobile coverage part of Mobile Black Spot Program to implement commitments for new mobile infrastructure to improve mobile coverage and reception quality across Australia as well as $30m for the On Farm Connectivity Program to support farmers and agricultural businesses to purchase and install on farm connectivity equipment.

“Mareeba, Cairns, Fishery Falls and Mission Beach are red hot with black spots. We need the local communities and council to pick up the initiative and aggressively make sure we get this funding to improve coverage.”


Fuel

Mr Katter welcomed the announcement for $5.1m over three years from 2022–23 to support the development of sovereign capacity in renewable fuel manufacturing, particularly for the Australian Defence Force.

Mr Katter has long been an advocate for sovereign fuel manufacturing and with fellow crossbenchers is preparing to introduce legislation to increase the manufacturing and use of Australian-made fuel.

“We’ve got our foot in the door here, we want all fuel to be used in Australia, to be manufactured in Australia. This is a small start, but it is a start. No doubt in my mind this came from our crossbench initiative.

“We feel on the crossbenchers confident we’ve got the foot in the door, with our four-pronged legislation.”


Rural and regional Health

The Federal Government announced $50,000 one-off grants for regional medical practices to help them improve patient access, for capital works, training, or purchase new equipment.

The Government also announced $2.5 billion over four years to improve the quality of care in residential aged care facilities by requiring all facilities to have a registered nurse onsite 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

“We thank all the people who have made representations to us, Dieticians Australia, the NQ Nurses Union, the Primary Health Network, and I would single out Dr Lisa Fraser, Dr Rod Catton, Dr Grant Manypeney for their continuous efforts in advocating for regional health. We’ve welcomed the previous increase in wages and the HECS announcement, but we still have no doctors in many of our towns.”

Mr Katter said the reduction of the PBS co-payment from $42.50 to $30 “was not as good as it appears” because it made the threshold for free medication harder to earn, but it was a step in the right direction towards affordable health.

Roads

The Federal Government’s announcement of $210m for the upgrade of Kuranda Range Rd was labelled as “absolutely appalling” by Mr Katter.

“The only thing you can start doing there is tearing down the jungle and rainforest. That money has got to be spent on developing the tunnel, the Bridle Track, through the range. I tenaciously oppose this.”

However he welcomed $2.1bn for projects in Queensland, including $866.4m for the Bruce Highway and $400m for the Inland Freight Route (Mungindi to Charters Towers) upgrades.


Cyclone reinsurance pool  

The previously legislated cyclone reinsurance pool has received $15m for oversighting by the ACCC to ensure premiums are fair.

“This is vital. We’re paying 400 per cent more for insuring our house. We got the breakthrough for reinsurance from the last government and now Alliance has led the charge on our behalf, they said it does not achieve parity, so if they’re right, there’s $15m now to see if they’re right.

“And, I haven’t noticed a decrease in premiums like there should have been.”


Childcare

Mr Katter welcomed the Government’s $4.7bn to make early childhood education and care more affordable for Australian families. From July 2023, Child Care Subsidy rates will increase up to 90 per cent for eligible families earning less than $530,000. Families will continue to receive existing higher subsidy rates of up to 95 per cent for any additional children in care aged 5 and under.

“We are simply persecuting people who have families, people cannot afford to have children and we are a vanishing race.

“I’ve had staff who’ve spent up to 70 per cent of their salary on childcare. We need to support Australian families, or in 20 years’ time, death will exceed births.

Mr Katter was critical however, of the expansion to the paid parental leave program, arguing that it would bring with it, cost pressures to the mum and dad business owners throughout the region who will have to foot the bill.


ENDS

Successive governments deserve the cane after 20 years of ethanol ignorance

By Kahla Kruger • September 18, 2025
KAP Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter has applauded the Albanese’s $1 billion “Future Made in Australia” biofuels announcement but said that successive former Labor and LNP Governments deserve the “cane” for failing to see the ethanol potential and letting oil companies run rampant around the country. “Prior to 1992, 98 percent of our fuel requirements were produced in Australia,” Mr Katter said. “Then Keating got control out from Hawke, and free marketed the Australian economy and it was like taking the steering wheel out of the car. The industry collapsed. Costello was just as much to blame. “For 20 years, both major parties have spat in the face of ethanol. They’ve ignored the farmers, ignored the mills, ignored the science. Now, with the stroke of a pen, they’ve suddenly found religion in biofuels. Well, it’s better late than never, and we thank them for their efforts here,” Mr Katter said. In the last parliamentary term, Mr Katter moved his Sovereign Fuel Security Bill, which would see Australia aim to become approximately 80 percent self-sufficient in fuel, reducing dependence on imports. He warned that without serious action, Australia’s fuel supply is vulnerable, fuel and fertiliser costs will remain crushing for farmers, and Australia’s industrial and regional communities will suffer. “Farmers are paying 100 percent increases on two major cost input items, fuel and fertiliser. Electricity has also gone up 300 percent. “You just can’t keep farming under these conditions; we must bring down fuel and fertiliser costs if farmers are to survive. "Ten hectares of sugar cane produces over 10,000 litres of ethanol, and for every hectare of cane planted, 72 ton of carbon dioxide is pulled from the atmosphere. This stuff is pure magic. We can replace imported oil with home-grown fuel, cut emissions, and build up regional economies all at once. “We need an enforceable ethanol mandate, not another round of studies and subsidies that vanish after the election. Every other major country on earth, including Brazil and the United States, mandate ethanol. So why are we the last? “We need ethanol, and we need it now. But we need to make sure we don’t see a repeat of the ethanol mandate in Queensland where none of the oil companies that owned the petrol stations provided the infrastructure needed to offer ethanol. It should be legislated that these service stations will need be retrofitted to have ethanol capability as part of any biofuel industry.” Mr Katter warned that Australia’s fuel storage supplies have diminished over the years which puts Australia at a national security risk, further demonstrating a sovereign fuel security necessity. “The Government has said we have 30 days fuel supply, but I don’t even think it will last three days if there’s a situation where our fuel trade pathways are cut off. We must have supply of electricity and fuel if we are to survive as a country.” “When the NRMA blew the whistle on this extraordinary situation, Angus Taylor under direction of his cabinet, put our fuel supplies in Texas, USA. I mean, how utterly absurd! That shows you the level of competence in our governments.” ENDS https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/labor-earmarks-11bn-for-future-made-in-australia-biofuels-industry/news-story/e24cf62bada7edf93fe5c32c57db1837 https://www.bobkatter.com.au/govts-inaction-on-fuel-security-leaves-australia-vulnerable https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-22/government-to-buy-fuel-secure-national-stockpile/12173276

Katter urges Government to redivert leftover 2019 cattle flood disaster funds to combat devastating locust plague

By Kahla Kruger • 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.

Katter Applauds APLNG Backing for Gas Reserve Policy, Slams Industry Opposition

By Kahla Kruger • September 1, 2025
Standing in front of the acid plant in Mount Isa, Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter and Queensland State Member for Traeger Robbie Katter threw their full support behind APLNG’s call for a domestic gas reserve policy, labelling the move “long overdue,” while taking aim at the Australian Energy Producers peak body for pushing to delay any action until 2031. “We’re selling our country’s gas for six cents a unit and buying it back for $16.60, how dumb are we?” Mr Katter said. “We don’t make money shipping it overseas. It’s time we stop exporting our energy advantage and start looking after our own people and industry.” APLNG’s support for a Reserve Resource Policy (RRP) marks a key moment of alignment between resource giants and the KAP, who have long warned that Australia’s failure to secure domestic energy supply would decimate critical regional industries. “Three-quarters of what you see in Mount Isa relies on gas for chemical production, for metals processing, for power. Without a reserve policy, three-quarters of this industry vanishes,” Mr Katter warned. Mr Katter recalled agreements made during his time in government, where gas was secured at $6 per unit for 25 years. But those contracts expired decades ago, and without a domestic reserve, Australians now pay nearly three times more to buy their own gas back from exporters. “We had a deal. We switched from gas to coal, locked in a price of $6 a unit. That deal’s long gone. Now, we’re paying $16.60 for our own gas. Meanwhile, Qatar earns $29 billion a year from gas exports. We export the same amount and get only $600 million. This is how dumb we are.” Mr Katter also raised concerns about the foreign ownership of major Australian assets, including ports and critical mining infrastructure. “Newcastle is owned by China. Mount Isa is owned by Zurich. Is there anything left that we actually own? If you’re going to sell your country off, at the very least, make sure we get a quid out of it.” The Katters are urging both federal and state governments to immediately implement a domestic gas reserve policy – not in 2031, but now – to protect Australian industry, regional jobs, and the nation’s energy security. ENDS

Katter's Chiefs Launch Weekly Wrap and Mini-Pods

By Kahla Kruger • August 27, 2025
The weekly summaries include the legislative and policy movements within Parliament as well as happenings around the electorate and Bob's position on the big issues facing Australia. KATTER’S CHIEFS WEEKLY WRAP AUSTRALIA’S DEPENDENCE ON FUEL IMPORTS MUST STOP We must build Australian oil refineries and convert our sugar mills to produce ethanol Our fuel can, and should, be made in Australia and affordable. 🌾⛏️ 🚫 STOP YOUR STUPID ADS AND FIX OUR FRI#^*N MOBILE RECEPTION 🚫 Our regions are being DISCONNECTED due to a bungled 3G to 5G switchover. Telstra has an UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATION. So, stop spending millions on stupid ads and deliver this essential service!!!! 🥁🇦🇺 MIGRATION MUST STOP 🇦🇺🥁 March on 31 August, not because of hate, but because we LOVE our country. All future migrants MUST VALUE the Australian way of life and belief system. 💰BANKING BANDITS ABANDON THE NORTH 💰 Closures of Bendigo Bank branches at Tully and Malanda are a devastating blow. WE MUST KEEP OUR BANKING SERVICES, PROVIDING A PEOPLES BANK AT POST OFFICES. 🥳🎂 Happy Birthday, Karl Stefanovic 🎂 🥳 Karl’s a Crack Clay Shot and a good bloke. 🏥⛏️🤠🌾 🍻 HUGHENDEN, JULIA CREEK - LANDS OF OPPORTUNITY Yarns with salt of the earth legends who are the true meaning of “community”. 💐💐80TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN THE PACIFIC💐💐 We MUST NOT forget. We must teach in our schools the stories of the people that died to prevent the invasion of their country.

Katter Pays Tribute to Sir Leo Hielscher Ahead of State Funeral: “One of the Architects of the Queensland Miracle”

By Kahla Kruger • August 27, 2025
Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter has today paid tribute to the late Sir Leo Hielscher in the Federation Chamber of Parliament, ahead of the revered public servant’s state funeral to be held in Brisbane tomorrow. “Queensland was once the Cinderella state of Australia,” Mr Katter said. “We had virtually no coalmining, very little mineral wealth, few cattle, we had nothing. And then Joh Bjelke-Petersen became Premier, with Sir Leo Hielscher by his side, the transformation began.” Mr Katter credited Hielscher’s leadership and bold economic vision as the catalyst for Queensland becoming the world’s largest coal-exporting region, a global copper and aluminium powerhouse, and home to quadrupled agricultural output. “These were men who strained every nerve, muscle and sinew to build a better life for Queenslanders. That's how they were driven, not to save the planet or for some other ideological pursuit—which future generations will laugh at on a grand scale. No; these people were serious people.” In Parliament, Mr Katter recalled the visionary infrastructure programs driven by Hielscher, including massive investments in coal ports, railway lines, and power stations. “They built the biggest power station in the world at Gladstone and fuelled it with free coal. That gave us the cheapest electricity on Earth, and one of the biggest aluminium industries on Earth.” Reflecting on Sir Leo’s legacy, Katter said: “Public servants, normally, are bad. They do terrible things; they stop anything from happening and they make our lives miserable. There are very rare exceptions; Leo Hielscher was one of them. He made things happen. Two of the six biggest bridges in Australia are named after him, and rightly so.” In September 2023, Mr Katter had the privilege of tabling in Parliament Sir Leo Hielscher’s blueprint to achieve “the Australian Dream”, The Great Queensland Dividing Range Scheme, to irrigate and flourish inland Australia and make these communities rich and diverse in their productivity. “These were truly great men. These were men of freedom, vision and action. If you went in there with some restrictions and petty little rules and regulations, you would have been laughed out of their offices. Sir Leo Hielscher leaves behind an extraordinary legacy one that built modern Queensland.” ENDS

Resignation of CEO might finally allow for CopperString

By Rachelle Ambrum • August 12, 2025
KATTER’S Australian Party Federal MP Bob Katter has welcomed the resignation of Powerlink’s CEO Paul Simshauser. Particularly if it means that somebody might actually take the bull by the horns and build the vital CopperString electricity link between Townsville and Mount Isa. “Two and a half years after the CopperString decision was approved – and still not a single order completed for the copper wire or the steel for the pylons,” Mr Katter said. “When I had the responsibility under the Bjelke-Petersen government, I built the transmission line from Cairns to Normanton in three years – and that was without the billions being thrown around today.” “I’m sick to death of Brisbane bureaucrats being paid an extortionate amount of taxpayers money to sit on their backsides and do nothing,” lamented Mr Katter.

Australia should stand with Israel

By Rachelle Ambrum • August 11, 2025
FEDERAL Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN in September, calling it “dangerous” and “not an Australian position.” “Israel is surrounded by over a million people in Muslim countries, many of which are committed to the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. “We are told Israel’s retaliation has gone too far. But you can’t start a fight and then cry foul when there is backlash,” Mr Katter lamented. Mr Katter said the influence of “extreme Middle Eastern diaspora politics” on Western governments was growing rapidly, citing the situation in the UK, France and Canada. “France is almost under their political control, and a significant number of MPs in the UK Parliament have Middle Eastern backing. “If you think this won’t happen here in Australia, then think again. The Liberal and Labor parties have flung open the doors, allowing hundreds of thousands of migrants into Australia with no plan for assimilation. They are from countries with no democracy, no rule of law, no egalitarian traditions and a history of religious persecution. Migrants, many of which, are unable or unwilling to adopt our values and traditions bringing the problems of the countries they fled from onto our shores. “These are not small numbers. Many settle down in ethnic enclaves in Sydney and Melbourne and never become ‘Australians’ in any real sense.” The Member for Kennedy emphasised that his comments were not aimed at the Islamic religion, pointing to Australia’s strong relationship with Indonesia. “Our nearest neighbour, Indonesia, is overwhelmingly Muslim, and they are some of the best people I have dealt with in 50 years of public life. This is about history, values and behaviour. The Middle East has been in almost continuous warfare for 1,400 years. The only time they saw any peace was under the Crusaders.” Mr Katter said history made the choice clear. “On one side you have the Jewish people – persecuted for thousands of years yet thriving in a democracy that respects the rule of law. On the other, you have a region with an unbroken record of persecution against those of other beliefs. The Prime Minister and Penny Wong are dead wrong on this one. Australia should stand with Israel.” ENDS

Katter: “Act now or Australia will lose”

By Rachelle Ambrum • August 7, 2025
BOB Katter the Federal Member for Kennedy, is hopeful that today’s “innovation and technology” roundtable, will result in some real solutions to the current crisis in Mount Isa and broader issues with metal processing in Australia. "Minister Ayres is talking the talk. We now need him to walk the walk," said Mr Katter. "Mount Isa, indeed, Australia's economic future hangs in the balance. Metal processing is the backbone of our economic prosperity, particularly if we are to become more than the world's quarry." "We must have a national plan for processing our minerals onshore,” Mr Katter stated. "Government should immediately move legislation to provide for a thriving metal processing industry. " "This should include ‘Use it or Lose it’ legislation to stop stock traders sitting on our mineral reserves and a ‘Reserve Resource Policy’ to retain our resources for our use at a cheap price." "Bailing out greedy multinationals should be off the table, but government must take some responsibility to allow companies to not only survive but thrive. " “If we lose Mount Isa, we lose the backbone of North West Queensland. And make no mistake – talk won’t save it. Only action will,” said Mr Katter. ENDS

Katter pays tribute: Queensland's greatest titan has fallen

By Rachelle Ambrum • August 5, 2025
KENNEDY MP Bob Katter has paid an emotional tribute following the passing of Sir Leo Hielscher, describing the former Under Treasurer and architect of Queensland’s modern economy as a “giant of history” and “one of the greatest builders this state has ever known.” “Queensland’s greatest titan has fallen,” Mr Katter said. “Sir Leo Hielscher – and I use the word ‘Sir’ with absolute reverence – left behind a state that was forever changed by his courage, clarity and commitment to building something better for future generations” Mr Katter said that while many in public life are remembered for speeches or slogans, Sir Leo will be remembered for building ports, railways, power stations, and an entire industry base – and with it, the prosperity of Queensland. “When Leo entered government, Queensland was a net importer of coal. Eleven years later, we were the biggest coal-exporting state on Earth. He was the financial engine behind the infrastructure boom – 6,000 kilometres of rail, massive ports at Gladstone, Bowen and Mackay and major dams and power stations that fuelled the state’s growth.” Mr Katter stated. Sir Leo served as Under Treasurer for nearly three decades and was instrumental in the states industrial rise under Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. Mr Katter acknowledges both men as pivotal, noting their legacy should be recognised in a permanent way. “If we built statues in Queensland, then two giants deserve them – Joh Bjelke-Petersen and Sir Leo Hielscher. They were Titans of the economy. They didn’t just talk. They built” Mr Katter recalled the legendary story of Leo’s uncompromising economic vision when a major mining company approached the state government seeking to export raw bauxite. “Leo laughed in their face. He said: ‘We don’t export bauxite – we export aluminium.’ That set the stage for what became one of the world’s largest aluminium production hubs at Gladstone. He backed it with the cheapest power in the word, thanks to a 1,500-megawatt power station, government-owned, run on free coal, with negligible labour and debt costs.” Describing his youth, Mr Katter said he was one of many Queenslanders whose life was changed by the wave of prosperity that Sir Leo helped usher in. “Every Queenslander owes a significant debt to Sir Leo. Thank you for your service.” ENDS

Katter meets with Minister and Department to save Mount Isa

By Rachelle Ambrum • July 22, 2025
"Let me be quite clear; we don't bail out foreign billionaires," Mr Katter stated. "Just down the road in Cloncurry, another copper mine, Ernest Henry, has recently announced record-breaking profits. Glencore was the former operator of this mine and got rid of it, claiming it wasn't profitable. That should give you a very clear picture of how incapable Glencore really is. "I have said it repeatedly, if Glencore cannot make the Mount Isa copper smelter work on their own, the government should step in; not to throw money at what appears to be 'spectacular mismanagement', but to take control of the asset. "This smelter is a vital piece of Australian industry, and government needs to act - swiftly and decisively," Mr Katter said. Government must immediately: (1) Reserve a portion of domestic production for domestic processing and manufacturing to ensure a national benefit, and (2) Implement 'use it or lose it' so that multi-national organisations can't sit on our mining assets to influence international stock markets. "We cannot compete with the Chinese when their governments build and own factories, provide subsidised power and don't require return on investment. Australia is already fighting an uphill battle; meanwhile, we are letting Glencore run riot and send our value offshore," Mr Katter warned. Mr Katter expressed confidence that the government was beginning to see the writing on the wall. "There is faith that this government will move to gain a stake in the copper smelter, not bail out the multi-national Glencore. If they want ownership partnerships, then it should come with government oversight, domestic processing guarantees and a binding commitment to Australian jobs. "It is an insult to all Australian taxpayers that a single cent of their money would be spent on a foreign-owned corporation that has recorded massive profits in other divisions while allowing for our critical infrastructure to wither and die. "A line in the sand must be drawn. Our assets must be retained for our benefit. Glencore can get with it or get out." ENDS