Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter used Question Time on Monday to ask whether the government would buy back bank mortgages which were surely worth 25 per cent less which he said would reduce debt by 25 percent, reduce the interest rate from 7% to 2.5% and facilitate restocking by restoring the annual tax revenues of $300 million a year.

In response Mr Morrison said a new task force would consider proposals that came from his trip to the flood-hit region on Friday.

“You are right, this is going to require a station by station solution to rebuild, to reconstruct the cattle industry in North West Queensland,” Mr Morrison told Mr Katter.

“I cannot imagine an Australia that does not have the north Queensland cattle industry and we will stand with them to all the types of policies you have suggested, whether it is addressing their issue of mortgage debt, restocking that is required and the rebuilding of that part of Australia.

“This is an absolute tragedy that is unfolding”.

Mr Katter also asked whether the micro irrigation scheme which received federal funding for a pilot at Hughenden would mitigate flooding.

 “The short answer to that part of the question is yes, the project at Hughenden will have those impacts and that’s why we are happy to be proceeding with that project,” Mr Morrison said.

Mr Morrison thanked Mr Katter for joining him in Julia Creek and Cloncurry and also thanked the mayors of North West Queensland - Greg Campbell (Cloncurry), Belinda Murphy (McKinlay), John Wharton (Richmond), Jane McNamara (Flinders) and Gavin Baskett (Winton) – for their “incredible leadership in a truly national disaster.”

READ ALSO: Cloncurry disaster recovery hub up and running

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