Bob Katter expresses disappointment with Budget

Katter’s Australia Party MP Bob Katter expressed his disappointment with the 2024 federal budget, saying it ‘lacks long-term vision and critical details.’

CANBERRA, Australia, NewsWire Photos. May 15, 2024: Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Laura Chalmers arrive for a National Press Cub Address at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Katter’s Australia Party MP Bob Katter expressed his disappointment with the 2024 federal budget, saying it ‘lacks long-term vision and critical details.’

“I describe the budget as a gangrene budget,” he said.

“It’s just rotting away a paradigm that has passed.”

“It’s a ‘looking into’ budget, which would seem to me that clearly Prime Minister Albanese gave orders on all these things that went back to the departmental heads who have absolutely no idea how to carry out those initiatives.’

Mr Katter said while there were some positives for regional Australia, which would include his electorate of Kennedy, the details on funding were ‘few and far between’.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. MARCH 25, 2024: Bob Katter presents the Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill 2024 in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“The 2024 Budget will do little more than limp the government to the next election, providing no serious reform and offer little more than a few lollies,” Mr Katter said.

Despite this Mr Katter applauded the announcements of superannuation for Paid Parental Leave and encouraged all councils in his electorate of Kennedy to apply for the Roads to Recovery Program, worth $1 billion.

“I encourage all councils in my electorate to apply for the Roads to Recovery Program, and I’m confident we can secure the funding for the completion of the Hann Hwy, benefiting producers throughout North Queensland,” he said.

He also welcomed parts of the government’s Future Made in Australia fund which provided funding for critical minerals and their processing, as well as “low carbon fuel” such as ethanol, but said it ‘lacked succinct detail.’

Mr Katter commented on the allocated $154m over six years to implement the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, including $84m over five years to establish a regulator and $10m on an awareness campaign.

“As for the vehicle efficiency standard, the government must realise this will impact more than just the people out bush,” he said.

“There are plenty of people in regional cities like Townsville and Cairns, throughout Australia, that enjoy four-wheel drives who will be unfairly punished with this standard.”

Mr Katter also condemned the Budget’s infrastructure package for Queensland, saying the regions were overlooked.

“This package is beyond disappointing, it includes nothing ‘nation building,’ nothing that will generate economic growth, nothing that will create more than a few jobs,” he said.

“In Kennedy public transport is almost non-existent. We have some of the worst roads in Australia. The only access to the land west of the diving range and literally crumbling. Budget after budget we see more money siphoned from the regions and given to the cities for grandiose white-elephant projects.”

Originally published as Bob Katter expresses disappointment with Budget