A week out from the election KAP state leader Robbie Katter is down on the coast helping some of his other candidates.
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In the seat of Whitsunday Mr Katter welcomed his candidate and Whitsunday mayor Jenny Whitney while further north crocodiles were on his mind.
Mr Katter said the number of life savers available to patrol Port Douglas beaches was falling because parents are no longer enrolling their children in Nipper programs for fear they will become victims of a crocodile attack.
““This is the tip of the iceberg of the unforeseen repercussions due to the expanding territories crocs are claiming which are impacting on North Queensland communities,’’ Mr Katter said.
“Less life savers patrolling beaches, tourism numbers dropping, loss of lifestyle and water sports operators suffering business downturns, all due to government inaction on removing crocodiles.
He wants support for a cull in their Safer Waterways Bill which has been put out for debate in 2018.
Meanwhile Labor candidate for Traeger Danielle Slade was campaigning on remote community health care.
“Doomadgee and Mornington Island need local dialysis treatment at their hospitals,” Ms Slade said. “Patients have to travel to Mount Isa and at times Townsville for treatment. This means having to leave their family and friends for long periods of time whilst they are receiving this treatment.”
Ms Slade said the high cost of this was leading to patients ending their treatment.
“I have written to the Minister for Health, Cameron Dick in October and appealed to the Minister to consider making it a priority for these communities to have this treatment available locally,” she said.
The LNP seized on the news Queensland’s unemployment rate has jumped to 6.0 per cent – the highest rate of any mainland Australian state.
LNP Leader Tim Nicholls said Queensland was the only state in Australia to see its unemployment rate go backwards over the past 12 months.
“While the rest of Australia is powering ahead, Queenslanders are falling behind,” Mr Nicholls said.
Independent candidate Craig Scriven is in Charters Towers where he was surprised to find the local hospital’s maternity unit is closed.
“The expecting mother is expected to travel to Townsville weeks before the due date, and wait,” he said.
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.
