The KAP asked the government for fours things to address the current crisis in North Queensland and along the crossbench said they would vote against the budget if the government refused to come to the negotiating table.

“North Queensland is in crisis. The government should be ashamed of itself for not agreeing to these four very reasonable requests,” Mr Katter said.

“Even more shameful is that the LNP had an opportunity to stand with us to force the government to listen, but instead they’ve decided to sell out North Queensland and rubber stamp the budget.”

The four items were:

1.    Power prices reduced by 5%

2.    Commit to reducing North Queensland unemployment to 6% by 2020

3.    Commit unspent infrastructure funding to North Queensland to kick start the economy

4.    Set up a North Queensland Budget Equity Board

Mr Katter said said he was shocked the major parties wouldn’t consider KAP’s requests.

“They’re quite happy to throw billions of dollars at a Brisbane rail project so city people can get home from work earlier, but won’t commit to something as critical as reducing unemployment in the North,” he said.

However three LNP members released a statement saying the KAP threat was a ridiculous attention seeking exercise.

Andrew Cripps MP, Member for Hinchinbrook; Dale Last MP, Member for Burdekin and Jason Costigan MP, spoke together in response to a threat by KAP and Independents to block the Queensland Budget.

“We note the political stunt threatening to ‘block’ Labor’s state budget if it does not include a number of demands,” they said. “The KAP MPs and ‘Independents’ Billy Gordon and Rob Pyne have kept the minority Palaszczuk Government in power for more than two years.”