KAP demands Federal funding for Sewage Treatment Plant

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto at Port Hinchinbrook.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has joined forces with Kennedy MP Bob Katter to demand the Federal Government match State funding for Port Hinchinbrook’s new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in order to prevent ratepayers being slugged thousands for a basic service.

Following a Cassowary Coast Regional Council media release last Friday that revealed the estimated total cost of the new STP would be upwards of $8.6 million, Mr Katter wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans requesting that the Federal Government match funding.

“Without the Federal Government matching the State’s funding, council estimates they will need to charge each resident $4500 for use of the STP,” Mr Dametto said.

“Port Hinchinbrook ratepayers should not be forced to cough up such an exorbitant amount for what is a basic service. Bob and I won’t stand for it which why we have taken this decisive action.”

In his letter to the three Ministers, Mr Katter said it was “simply unconscionable to me that I find myself in a position to lobby your government to assist in providing a basic human right of successfully flushing your toilet”.

“We simply cannot expect to grow this great nation through beneficial infrastructure development if we are unable to support communities with such a basic essential service and the minimum required foundations to promote economic growth in this electorate,” Mr Katter wrote.

Mr Dametto said the Federal Government were forced to honour their promise of $1.5 million to dredge Cardwell’s One Mile Creek after his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack last year and he was prepared to fly down to Canberra once more in order to make the government “cough up the cash” for the STP.

“The Feds are on notice. The KAP will not be taking a backwards step on this issue until we get the STP fully funded,” Mr Dametto said.

“The future of Cardwell depends on it.”