KAP announces conservationist Dr Daniel Collins as candidate for Leichhardt

The Katter Australia Party has announced a rainforest conservationist as its candidate for Leichhardt, who says he is the man to unlock the potential of The Cape and Tablelands by developing the timber and agriculture industries.

State member for Traeger Robbie Katter was in Cairns on Monday to announce Dr Daniel Collins as the KAP's candidate for the federal seat of Leichhardt in the federal election. Photo: Dylan Nicholson

The Katter Australia Party has announced a rainforest conservationist as its candidate for Leichhardt, who says he is the man to unlock the potential of The Cape and Tablelands by developing the timber and agriculture industries.

Robbie Katter was in Cairns this week to announce conservationist and part time security guard Dr Daniel Collins in the key Far North Queensland seat for the upcoming election.

Mr Katter said his candidate was a credible alternative to the major parties.

“We can provide some leadership and vision in Leichhardt as we have in Kennedy,” he said.

“There are amazing opportunities that have been untapped and shackled by not having that grunt and representation.”

Dr Collins will be one of 10 candidates listed on the ballot for the lower house come May.

He said he was drawn to politics by the untapped potential of the region.

“We have the most fertile land, the most amazing environment, it is just the best spot in Australia,” he said.

“We have so many sustainable industries that could be set up in timber and agroforestry, balsa wood, vanilla, rose wood it just goes on and on, but nothing is being done about it.”

Dr Collins said the region has been sitting on tourism for 30 years.

“It’s time for Leichhardt to reach its potential, we can have a huge forestry industry we just need the right person in and I’m the man to do it,” he said.

Dr Daniel Collins has been announced as the Katter Australia Party candidate for Leichhardt in next month's Federal election. Photo: Dylan Nicholson

Dr Collins, who has an Honours Degree in Environmental Science and a PhD in Forest Science and Land Management, has travelled the world studying tropical rainforests in the Amazon, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

“We have this magnificent environment here we can protect, but I also know there are untapped industries here that can be worth billions, way more than the tourism industry,” he said.

Dr Collins said key to unlocking the Tablelands was the creation of a new tunnel connecting it to Cairns.

“That road, what a joke,” he said.

“The other parties have been dillydallying and now they are going to build a dodgy bridge, there are crashes all the time, it’s dangerous.

“Lets open it up and make it easier for the producers.

“The tunnel is gold.”

When asked how he balanced the KAP’s opposition to policies such as net zero emissions targets, Dr Collins said it was still possible to protect unique ecosystems.

“We can still protect these key areas but we don’t have to blanket the entire Cape York in a world heritage zone. If we start putting timber into the lands that have been degraded think of all the carbon we will be storing,” he said.

“We will be doing more against climate change than any other party if we really get into this.”

Dr Collins said crime in Cairns was also why he was a part-time security guard, and he supported Castle Law.

“I have heard so many sad stories about families who have been broken into and it does a lot of damage to our families,” he said.

“This is why I’ve gone with the Katter Party because Castle Law has to come in, people need to have the right to defend themselves in their home.”

Dr Collins lives in Edmonton and said he had spent most of his life in the Far North.

“I’ve been kicking around in the forest or up in The Cape, I know the place,” he said.

He also said he supported a North Queensland state.

Originally published as KAP announces conservationist Dr Daniel Collins as candidate for Leichhardt