When writers to your Letters to the Editor Column are factually incorrect about me I believe that I should respond.

In Saturday's "Letters to the Editor" former Mayor of Mount Isa Ronald McCullough stated "It is ironic that the person creating the most noise about the cost of water at present is the one who signed that crippling agreement back in the 70s non other than Tony McGrady"

Firstly Mr Editor can you inform your readers and myself if you can recall me making any comment about water charges In the North West Star or indeed any other Media outlet in recent times because I can't.

Secondly Mr McCullough is going back 50 years when he refers to an agreement signed back in the 70s with "Sun Water" the implication being that I signed some agreement.

For Mr McCullough's information I have checked with a Senior Officer from the Queensland Government who confirms that Sun Water was not in existence in the 70s and was only established around 2000.

With regards to me signing "That crippling agreement on behalf of the Mount isa City Council back in the 70s with the Queensland Government".

Sorry Ronald but in the early 70s I was a humble Mount Isa City Councillor and any such agreement would be signed by the Mayor of the City. I certainly did not have any authority to sign such an agreement on behalf of the Mount Isa City Council so again you are wrong.

The truth is always the first casualty of an election campaign when jealous and defeated candidates become involved.

Ronald ,personal jealousy is a terrible thing, it destroys people, it makes them bitter and often they don't tell the truth for fear of losing the argument.

Please take a leaf from the result of the last election campaign which you contested when the good people of our great City soundly defeated you and removed you as Mayor of our City.

Ronald get over it, examine why you were rejected by the people of our City, change your attitude, be factual in your Letters and play the ball not the man or woman.

Tony McGrady, Mount Isa

Queensland needs powerful biosecurity measures to protect our economy, local jobs and the environment.

Biosecurity has critical links to agriculture productivity and exotic pests and diseases can significantly damage the industry.

That's why it's completely unacceptable the Palaszczuk Labor Government has been missing in action when it comes to key biosecurity measures.

One of the weapons in the biosecurity fight is meant to be the Biosecurity Queensland Ministerial Advisory Council, which is made up of scientists, community members and agriculture representatives.

The group is supposed to meet a few times a year, but the Palaszczuk Labor Government has failed to call a meeting of the council for more than two years.

Meanwhile, pests and diseases like African Swine Flu, Armyworm and Panama TR4 have all been threatening Queensland.

I also have serious concerns about how Labor failed to consult the industry when it reviewed its own Biosecurity Act.

It really does show the level of contempt Labor has for biosecurity and protecting livelihoods and local jobs.

Given that Queensland horticulturalists and canegrowers are now facing a financial hammer-blow from Armyworm, it's time to hold Labor Agriculture Minister Mark Furner to account for his biosecurity failures.

Queensland's biosecurity is the last line of defence, and it's being broken time and time again under Labor.

Tony Perrett, LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture