SOS for Dungeness Rockwall

9 February 2024 The popular seaside town of Lucinda is the departure point of choice for commercial and recreational users and emergency services seeking to access the Hinchinbrook Channel, the Palm Island Group and the Great Barrier Reef. However, due to the erosion of the spit and siltation at the entrance of Enterprise Channel, a […] READ MORE

Furner in a tangle over NX fishing licences

5 February 2024 Last year, the State and Commonwealth Labor Governments imposed sweeping gillnet fishing bans across the entire East Coast under the guise of conservation efforts, while promising to issue 40 special NX symbols (licences) to eligible fishers who could carry on conditional fishing activity until June 2027 to meet market demand for wild […] READ MORE

Cut the trees – not the power

1 February 2024  Cyclone Kirrily’s recent impact on Townsville and North Queensland has unveiled significant vulnerabilities in the region’s electricity network, prompting a call for immediate policy changes to enhance resilience and safeguard against future weather-related disruptions. Hinchinbrook MP and Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) Deputy Leader, Nick Dametto has praised Ergon Energy and Energex work […] READ MORE

Opinion – Home education

29 January 2024 Home schooling numbers across Queensland have skyrocketed, and the Queensland Government is threatening to crack down on parents who opt out of the mainstream education system and choose to educate their children at home instead. Figures show that in 2019 there were 3,411 students registered for home education and in 2023 that […] READ MORE

Farm machinery sheds over 500m2 get the tick of approval

23 January 2024 In a positive step for the agricultural community, the Queensland Development Code (QDC) has undergone a transformative alignment with the National Construction Code (NCC) to finally allow farmers across the state to construct sheds exceeding 500m2 without the mandatory installation of expensive fire suppression systems. For years, farmers have faced hurdles in […] READ MORE

KAP: Time to put some bite into crocodile management 

19 January 2024  The recent increase in crocodile sightings across Queensland has reaffirmed Katter’s Australian Party’s (KAP) position that the State Government needs to do more to reduce the likelihood of crocodile attacks through better Crocodile Management. Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader, Nick Dametto said the increase in reported sightings as well as aggressive […] READ MORE

Brisbane Olympics will cost $7bn for residents to escape the south east: KAP

17 January 2024 While northern and regional Queenslanders watch their critical services diminish and battle through a major cost-of-living and housing crisis, the State’s two major political parties have reaffirmed their only focus is the south east by committing Queensland to the Brisbane Olympics. The “voice of the north,” Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) doubled down […] READ MORE

The cost of chaos: The correlation between youth crime and car insurance premiums

12 January 2024  Economically, 2024 is off to a worrisome start for North Queenslanders with many residents reporting significant increases to their motor vehicle insurance premiums adding further strain to household budgets. According to Finder, since 2021 car insurance premiums have increased by 19.8 per cent across the nation with Queensland recording the highest increase […] READ MORE

Reeling in the Future: Hundreds of Barramundi released into the Hinchinbrook Channel

11 January 2024 Fishing fanatics can get keen to catch the next “big one” after the Hinchinbrook Channel’s barramundi stocks were boosted this week with the release of over 700 barramundi fingerlings into the Herbert River. Each year young fingerlings are released into local waterways that feed into the Hinchinbrook Channel, an initiative undertaken by […] READ MORE

Townsville’s disturbing youth crime shift – Random arson attacks on the rise

9 January 2024 In a disconcerting shift, the landscape of youth crime in Townsville has morphed into a new pattern, with youths now targeting random cars and houses with arson attacks. In recent days, several cars have been torched as well as residence in Annandale, all allegedly at the hands of youth criminals. The vehicles […] READ MORE