A Government agency will be established to reconstruct at government borrowing rates existing bank loans and provide new credit for restocking to rebuild flood-affected farm enterprises around North Queensland.

These operations are currently on the precipice of catastrophic demise following an onslaught of chronic drought and widespread flooding. It is estimated that there will be between 500,000 to one million head of cattle lost, with some people losing 100 per cent of their herd.

Mr Katter has been pleading for financial assistance to support farmers and graziers for 25 years and KAP has been at the forefront of advocating for a Rural Reconstruction Board – including the 2012 Debt Roundtable, the 2013 Richmond Rural Debt Summit, the 2015 Winton Last Stand Meeting with Alan Jones, meetings with past and present Prime Ministers and Treasurers and introducing legislation into the Queensland State and Federal Parliaments.

“So after 25 years of battle, we have got an enlightened Government decision. The farmers have got back what they always had before, the Reconstruction Board approach to disaster,” he said.

“All these people will have their debt significantly reduced, and will now be paying one third of what they were currently paying to the banks (until now). And all of this is costing the tax payers nothing.”

The catalyst for the funding announcement was the Prime Minister accepting Mr Katter’s invitation to travel to Julia Creek and Cloncurry where he was confronted with the reality behind one of Queensland’s worst natural disasters in history.

“It took my staff, together with Robbie Katter’s staff, six days before we could get a single media camera out there.

But once there, attention came in a rush and we desperately needed the Prime Minister to see with his own eyes the pain and disaster so that it would affect him, and it did, the Prime Minister was deeply affected by what he saw; the pain in the people,” Mr Katter said.

The announcement was made public in Townsville today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison who confirmed that the ‘North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency’ is a platform which will help rebuild the northern agriculture.

Mr Katter has twice visited the North-West area (the second time with the Prime Minister) to speak with graziers and communities first-hand.

Mr Katter will be travelling to the region again next week with the region’s recovery paramount.

READ ALSO: $11 Million North West Aid Package

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