03 Nov KATTER WANTS CAP ON GAS, COAL, URANIUM RESOURCES

Katter’s Australian Party Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has demanded Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk join the growing synopsis of state leaders calling on the Albanese Government to immediately implement a national gas reserve policy.

And the reserve policy should extend to coal and, in preparation for the development of a domestic nuclear energy industry, uranium as well, Mr Katter has said.

This week, New South Wales Treasurer Matt Kean and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews have pushed for Canberra to intervene and forcibly withhold gas reserve stocks for use at home.

But Queensland, which produces most of the gas on the east coast (upwards of 75 per cent), has been silent.

Mr Katter, who is a long-term advocate for a reserve policy and regulated pricing of the precious commodity, said the failure of successive state and federal governments to plan for the current energy crisis and stockpile resources to protect the Australian people was treasonous.

“Gas prices are heading towards $40/gigajoule, and we continue to allow multi-national corporations almost unfettered access to our reserves so they can sell it on the world market to the highest bidder,” he said.

“No other gas-exporting country in the world would tolerate such a shambolic state-of-affairs.

“We need an immediate cap on pricing – keeping domestic costs per gigajoule below $10 – and a 25 per cent national gas reserve policy.

“If these multi-national gas companies cannot be forced to earn their social licences to operate, they can pack up and leave.

“This should have been squared-away before the first Australian export of LNG ever left the port – how stupid can we be?”

Mr Katter said Australia was blessed beyond belief with natural resources that were the envy of the world and failing to protect and stockpile them was an assault on common-sense and a threat to national security.

—ENDS—   

Photo caption: Robbie Katter at the now closed gas-powered Mica Creek Power Station outside Mount Isa.