Bob Katters stands with canegrowers and representatives from North Queensland in call for further funding

Taking the fight for an increase in disaster grants all the way to the Prime Minister, Bob Katter says flood-affected cane farmers need more cash to get back on their feet. SEE THE DAMAGE.

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter with Herbert River district cane grower Robert Lyon speak to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Taking the fight for an increase in disaster grants all the way to the Prime Minister, Bob Katter says flood-affected cane farmers need more cash to get back on their feet.

Kennedy MP Bob Katter joined representatives from Canegrowers, AgForce and Queensland Cane and Agriculture and Renewables in Townsville on Wednesday as they voiced their concerns for the urgent need for an increase to Category D funding of $75,000.

Luke Roveda, of Roveda Harvesting, in Ingham

It is understood Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Mr Katter the government would increase the grants, but no formal change has been made.

The Bulletin understands that the request is being processed by government.

Currently only having been granted level C funding, worth $25,000, Mr Katter said it is not enough for farmers who are dealing with significant damage including.

“We’ve been desperately waiting on Category D … which we should have been on right at the start,” he said.

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter speaks to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“It’s not a handout, its not a gratuitous donation, we desperately need the farmers to replant. This is one of the two biggest cane growing areas in Australia.”

Mr Katter said he made “no apologies” for backing the cane farmers.

“Don’t trifle with me and don’t trifle with anyone from North Queensland,” he said.

Herbert River canegrower Robert Lyon said the cane industry was hurting after the flooding earlier in the year.

“Cane growers, harvesters and millers, we are all in this together,” he said.

QCAR Herbert District Senior Vice Chairman Ian Kemp with his flood-damaged sugarcane paddock in Ingham. 22 Feb 2025. (

Mr Lyon added that an increase to $75,000 in funding would help get communities “back in line”.

“All we need is some person in the government, in the Federal Government to make a decision,” he said.

Mr Lyon added that he would lose crops and income, but counts himself lucky when looking at others in the region who lost their belongings and those with “huge holes” in their farm.

“$75,000, it won’t cover the costs of a lot of these places, but it’s a start,” he said.

Damage to QCAR Herbert District Committee member Chris Butler's Abergowrie farm

“We need someone with intestinal fortitude to be able to stand up and say ‘do it’ not ‘we will have another investigation’ and that seems to be what has happened.”

Mr Lyon said he was disappointed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese didn’t come to see the devastation caused in Ingham.

“He was only a few kilometres down the road,” he said.

Leah Russo from Canegrowers Herbert River, KAP Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto, Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter, Christian Lago from Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables and North regional director of AgForce Michael Penna speak to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“He’s got helicopters available, he could have landed … put his feet on ground zero.”

Christian Lago from Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables said the extra funds were “desperately needed”.

“There’s a cyclone looming down south and we don’t wish that upon anyone, but we go through cyclones every year,” he said.
“We know the damage and destruction they cause and we’ve been through the biggest flood in [our] history. We need the government to step up and come good with the money.”

KAP Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto, speaks to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Canegrowers Herbert River director Leah Russo said after an analysis of the Herbert River region, it was estimated that there was a loss of 10 to 15 per cent of the crop, which equates to about $50-60m of revenue loss for the district.

Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter speaks to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“This also comes on the back of three or four years of standover cane, wet weather, rat plagues. Resilience is weaning in our district so we’re really in need of some assistance,” she said.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said during other events of natural disaster a lot more money was given out straight off the bat.

“We’ve just had one of the largest flood events in history across the Herbert district,” he said.

Caroline and Trevor Crisp inspecting the giant trees and boulders washed down by floodwater at Paluma Range.

“The fact that this event hasn’t been treated like previous events that were less in destructiveness and less in water flow and water fall makes us all feel very disappointed that this has dragged on for so long.”

“We don’t want to be forgotten about in North Queensland.”

Mr Katter first wrote to the Mr Albanese on February 2 requesting affected cane farmers be given Category D funding, when they then also spoke.

Herbert River district cane grower Robert Lyon speaks to the media in their appeal to the Prime Minister for Category D disaster grants to be given to flood-affected farmers. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Mr Albanese wrote to Mr Katter on February 19 confirming the Category C activation, to which Mr Katter then sent two further letters requesting the next level of funding.

Mr Katter advised on March 5 the Prime Ministers office confirmed in a text message they would activate Category D, with a formal letter to follow.

QCAR Herbert District Committee member Walter Giordani at a flood-damaged sugarcane farm at Yuruga, south of Ingham.

He said he was now fighting to see the request formalised.

“I am very angry, because I don’t want statement that we expect confirmation,” he said.

“I want an answer here, so we are desperately waiting on the information in this very serious issue of Category D.”

Originally published as Bob Katters stands with canegrowers and representatives from North Queensland in call for further funding