State Member for Mount Isa Robbie Katter has slammed the LNP for supporting Labor to vote against a real solution to address rural debt after parliament refused to vote on KAP’s bill.
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In a session that went into the early hours of Wednesday morning the KAP’s Rural and Regional Adjustment (Development Assistance) Amendment Bill was denied a vote in the House through the blocking of Mr Katter’s motion.
Instead Labor and the LNP supported the Farm Business Debt Mediation Bill, which requires financial institutions to offer mediation to farmers in arrears before starting enforcement action.
But the KAP development bank proposal did not get a look in.
“The motion was put forward to adequately consider and vote on a solution that would’ve seen a new lending mechanism established to address the shortcomings in QRAA’s current activities,” Mr Katter said.
“The major parties didn’t allow it. It’s unbelievable that they would so blatantly work together to stifle a minor party Bill.
Mr Katter said the Rural Debt and Drought Taskforce which he chaired showed rural debt was a massive problem that required a significant response and the bill that was passed was “an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff”.
“A farm debt mediation mechanism doesn’t solve the debt problem it just ensures that when the problem has finally caught up with a producer they can shut their business efficiently,” he said.
Queensland agriculture minister Bill Byrne defended the bill saying it would ensure farming families experiencing financial difficulty were treated fairly by financial institutions.
"We know that mediation is a vastly preferable mechanism and effectively done, people can come out of that with a good outcome,” Mr Byrne said.
Mr Katter said their legislation was designed to address not only the cattle industry, but also the viability of our rural towns.
“We need ways of stimulating the economies of the rural towns that rely on agriculture,” he said.
“Rather than using blunt funding programs to create short term employment, why not invest in reconstructing the core industry so longer term organic growth can be delivered”
Mr Katter expressed disappointment at the Government and Opposition’s “hands-off” approach to supporting a key Queensland industry.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
