Kennedy MP says Tuesday night's budget had some sweeteners for his electorate, but lacked the vision to drive Australia out of recession with barely any 'make-money' projects funded.
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Mr Katter didn't get his pre-budget wish list acted upon and said North Queensland had been forgotten while 'absorb money' projects in the major cities were topped up once again.
"It really makes your blood boil when you see $5b for a metro to the Western Sydney Airport, another $5b for Melbourne Airport Rail and $750m for a road on the Gold Coast at Coomera, all while Hells Gates Dam (Revised Bradfield Stage One) and a tax-payer owned, multi-user Galilee rail line miss out on the big dollars," Mr Katter said.
"The people of Australia must understand that we are in the worst economic situation since the Great Depression. The Treasurer has missed his opportunity to fund projects that would create wealth, thousands of jobs and pay for themselves. The Galilee Rail Line would double Australia's coal production and the Revised Bradfield Scheme Stage One would increase Australia's agricultural production by 50 per cent."
Mr Katter said it was positive to see that the proposed Copperstring 2.0 transmission line had received funding under a $134m fund for dispatchable generation and reliable energy supplies with media reports it had received $11 million although the exact amount is unknown due to commercial in-confidence.
"I would have liked to see more money for Copperstring because it will allow new mines to open and thousands of jobs for North Queensland," he said.
"It must be built as soon as possible. Copperstring will also help the Copper Smelter and Refinery in Mount Isa and Townsville, as well as the fertiliser plant."
Mr Katter criticised the lack of detail in the $2 billion allocated for dam spending over 10 years
"We hope that funding will include the Hughenden Dam (HIPCo), Big Rocks Weir and Hells Gates Dam (Revised Bradfield stage one) and potentially the North Johnstone Transfer," he said.
"But we are ecstatic that the North Queensland Water Infrastructure Authority was allocated $3m to properly investigate the proposed Revised Bradfield irrigation areas, which would mean channelling the water from Hells Gates Dam down through the Great Dividing Range to Webb's Lake."
There was also some money for roads in the region
- $40m for the Kennedy Developmental Road (The Lynd to Hughenden)
- $20m for the Gregory Developmental Road (Charters Towers - The Lynd)
- $11.2m for the gradual sealing of the Burke Developmental Road (Normanton - Dimbulah).
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