Shane Paulger

SHANE Paulger is the Katter's Australian Party candidate for the seat of Gympie.

Shane Paulger

AUSTRALIAN Party candidate Shane Paulger is a father, husband and businessman who has lived in the Gympie area his entire life.

His family has farmed at Kenilworth on the Mary River for more than 50 years, and Mr Paulger says he can vividly remember as a young child coming to Gympie on Wednesdays almost every week for the pig and calf sale.

"Mum and the kids were dropped in Memorial Park while Dad went off to the sale to either buy or sell stock," he said.

"Mum would do the grocery shopping and then we kids would play in the park until Dad would return from the sale."

In later years, Mr Paulger played cricket many times on Albert Park and likewise in winter, tennis at the Queens Park Tennis Centre.

"Later in life my interests shifted and I was a member of the famous Mother Mountain Speedway Club for around 15 years during which time I proudly represented Gympie on a Match Race Test series against the visiting USA team.

"In my entire life of 53 years I cannot recollect missing a Gympie Show where we, to this day, proudly exhibit our cattle.

"Almost all our entire farming business resources come from Gympie suppliers."

Mr Paulger is known from his long running battle to deliver a fair price for dairy farmers and sustain the industry since it was deregulated.

He has been frustrated for a long time by the failure of the ALP and the Liberal-National (LNP) parties to understand the plight of rural communities and address the many issues they face, including a lack of secure jobs and opportunities and young people, the high cost of living, excessive electricity costs and a lack of affordable housing across the regions.

"These issues are putting many families under horrific financial strain and are tearing families apart, with many rising stars are forced to leave the area to secure their futures," Mr Paulger said.

If Shane wins the seat of Gympie he says he will do the following for Gympie residents:

1. Decentralise Queensland- Resulting in all government facilities being available in Gympie (Not only Brisbane and Sunshine Coast) - Fully functional Hospital, Department of Transport, and a supported Primary Industries Department. This action will deliver employment opportunities to the Gympie electorate.
2. Modernise our Road Network to allow fast, reliable and safe travel throughout Queensland with the Railways being revitalised to reduce the number of large trucks and heavy freight on our roads.
3. Stop the sale of State Assets: Rail- Electricity generation to name but two. We all own and have contributed to this infrastructure and definitely will not be privatised under Katter's Australian Party government. 

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Originally published as Shane Paulger