After years of LNP and Labor both chasing the free market myth, the Federal Government seems to have listened, but the only measure of success is if gas prices substantially come down, state Member for Traeger Robbie Katter said.
“The KAP have been warning successive governments for more than a decade of the impending doom facing industry from high gas prices and pushing solutions such as a Gas Reservation Policy to address the supply and price of gas,” he said.
Mr Katter spoke in Queensland Parliament on 11 September 2013 saying solutions were urgently needed to the impending price rises caused by the LNG export developments. “Whether it’s a gas reserve policy or what, it’s a big problem,” he told the Parliament.
“The Federal government has finally been forced to wake up!” the KAP leader said.
“Since 2015, when LNG exports commenced, we have witnessed the gutting of our manufacturing industry – all to chase economic ideology.
“It’s high time that we jump off the ‘Free Market train’, before it careers over the cliff, and we are importing everything we consume.
“It’s a big ‘if’, but if the Federal Government effectively execute their Gas Reserve Policy, that is how you begin to put Australian users of gas before the interests of multinational corporate exporters.
“You’re going to upset someone, you’re going to upset the big multinational, but that’s what you must do when you’re rolling up your sleeves and protecting our ability to make things, to not rely on the rest of the world, to be ‘sovereign,’” Mr Katter said.
Mr Katter asked the state Resources Minister in parliament on 3 April this year if they would support a gas reservation policy in Queensland and was told “there is no gas crisis.”
“I really hope the Queensland government leans into this, because they’ve been pushing back against this, just like Labor, for all these years as well, based on economic ideology,” The KAP leader said.
“They believe in free markets and backing these big gas companies, we believe in domestic industry and manufacturing.
“Gas reservation is one of the vital steps you do to actually exercise sovereignty, not just talk about it in slogans and media releases.” Mr Katter said.
