STATE Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter has labelled the Queensland government's Royalties to the Regions project as an LNP "slush fund", slamming the Newman government's rejection of North West councils round one funding applications.
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Mr Katter called on the Queensland government to explain why it had wiped the resource-rich North West minerals province of it's Royalties to the Regions round one list.
"The fact that this government has allocated the first $60 million to council's not in resource regions reeks of a slush fund for their LNP mates, leaving power houses like Gladstone and the entire North West minerals province without a red cent," he said.
"The minerals province alone contributes more than $15 billion in revenue each year, from which the government rakes in royalties.
"The government promised Queenslanders that royalties would be returned to the regions from where they are derived to facilitate further industry development, not to build another highway for commuters in the south east corner."
A Queensland Government statement detailing short-listed applications for round one of the funding included three sewerage related projects, 11 road projects, two water projects, one health project and three flood mitigation projects.
Of the 20 projects short-listed for funding, 10 were from Western Downs Regional Council, four from Maranoa Regional Council, two from Isaac Regional Council, two from Banana Shire Council, one from Whitsunday Regional Council and one from Central Highland Regional Council.
