CLONCURRY Mayor Andrew Daniels says it’s time for political change in the North West.
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Cr Daniels has called on the LNP to encourage a strong candidate to run for the seat of Mount Isa against Robbie Katter.
“They need to come out here and get someone to inject some confidence into the region,” he said.
Cr Daniels said Mr Katter and his father federal MP Bob Katter had underperformed and were in the “political wilderness” under the Katter’s Australia Party banner.
Cr Daniels predicted Mr Katter would be a lone figure in the KAP at state level after the next election as he had doubts about Shane Knuth and Ray Hopper holding their seats.
“I enjoy Robbie’s company but he needs a seat at the table,” he said.
“He can make as much noise as he wants but unless he is with a major party he’s not going to achieve anything.”
Robbie Katter said joining a major party is not an option.
“The best way is to fight, not feed it,” he said.
“Why would I go to a party that’s killing the West and the agricultural industry?”
He rejected claims by Cr Daniels that he wasn’t getting a fair share of government funding because he wasn’t aligned to a major party.
“The truth is it’s not as simple as that.
“Sometimes they will pour money into your electorate to get rid of you.
“That’s a highly oversimplified argument and I find it offensive.
“It’s an uneducated view on how the system works.”
Mr Katter said it was critical to work with the mayors.
“We need to fight together in the West, we can’t fight against ourselves,” he said.