That issue is the attendance of federal member for Kennedy Bob Katter in the Parliament under the headline "Highly Paid pollies wag Parliamentary Sittings"

The newspaper stated "The data revealed there were 206 votes in the House of Representatives the best attendance was 97% of the time, by contrast the Queensland Federal M.P. Bob Katter attended about one in three votes.

Through the columns of the North West Star can you invite Mr Katter to explain to his electors how he can justify collecting his big pay cheque with all the perks that go with the job, when its quite apparent that he is not representing the people of his electorate.

In other words, he is simply not performing.

This is demonstrated by the number of times that he votes and likewise, when was the last time he was in this part of the electorate?

I believe we have a right to know why his attendance in the Parliament is so poor and obviously his voting record demonstrates this.

Please can The North West Star do a public service and ask the relevant questions to Mr Katter and I request that you please publish the results.

James Bambrick

Mount Isa

The challenge of financial hardship and social isolation at Christmas is more complex and challenging than ever across Australia this year.

The Salvation Army is responding not only to the poverty in our cities but also to the devastating impact of a rolling bushfire crisis and the relentless grip the worst drought in living memory has on rural and regional Australia.

For farmers in drought affected areas, Christmas will be a day like most others, with conditions restricting them from taking a day off.

There won't be much to stop for anyway, with many families in severe financial need.

Fire-fighters across Australia but particularly throughout New South Wales and parts of Queensland, will spend Christmas fighting out-of-control bushfires.

Some people living in bushfire affected areas still won't have access to their homes.

Many in our cities and towns will be alone on Christmas Day, with family breakdown and social isolation leading to loneliness and despair.

Christmas is the busiest time of the year for The Salvation Army.

We distribute half a million gifts and toys, assist 300,000 people and serve more than 100,000 meals.

We'll also be active in evacuation centres across the many fire-affected areas, and in distributing drought relief and Christmas Cheer in rural and regional areas affected by drought.

It is our privilege in the Salvation Army to bring joy and hope at this time of year to families and individuals experiencing hardship and despair.

But we can only do it with the help of generous Australians who support us, to support others.

So, this Christmas, let's remember those doing it tough.

By donating just $29 to The Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal, you can help put a present under the tree and food on the table.

You'll be bringing hope where it's needed most for someone in need of a hand up.

For more visit salvationamry.org.au or call 13 72 58.

Lieut. Colonel Neil Venables

The Salvation Army

It took more than three years for Labor to finally release findings of its inquiry into invasive weeds, but those Queenslanders expecting answers have been left bitterly disappointed.

Queensland landholders and farmers have every right to feel betrayed again by the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

Despite 60 submissions, six public hearings, 46 witnesses and thousands of hours of effort resulting in an 87-page report, there is nothing to show from it.

According to Labor, prickly acacia, giant rat's tail grass and fireweed and other weeds are all being managing appropriately and require no further action.

A fact that is quickly debunked by anyone living outside of Brisbane with any knowledge and understand of land management in Queensland.

While Queensland loses the battle against weeds in this state, Labor Agriculture Minister Mark Furner continues to play politics with rural and regional Queensland.

This is the same Minister who committed $5 million of state funding to match the federal government's commitment to tackle the spread of prickly acacia, and then did not provide the funding after the federal election.

There is something deeply unsettling about the Palaszczuk Labor Government's repeated failure to uphold its obligations to the management of the state's pests, weeds and biosecurity.

This is yet another example of the Palaszczuk Labor Government's anti-farmer and anti-regions agenda.

Tony Perrett

LNP Shadow Agriculture Minister

Smoothly and soothingly, Scott Morrison says he is appalled by the twenty-three million illegal transactions carried out by Westpac.

Some of this activity helped to finance terrorism and child abuse.

I'm sure he is appalled, because for five years Scott Morrison was Treasurer in Liberal governments, with responsibility for banking.

It's no wonder he is trying to move us ever-so-gently away from any memory of that fact.

Scott Agnew,

Coopers Plains