A Retrospective Circulated by the Office of the Hon Bob Katter MP, Federal Member for Kennedy ABOVE: Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter at the swearing in ceremony for the 43rd Parliament in the House of Representatives on 28 September 2010 with crossbench MPs Andrew Wilkie, Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Adam Bandt. The Member for Kennedy was the only one of the so-called ‘kingmaker’ crossbenchers pictured above who did not vote for an ALP Government in the ‘Hung Parliament’. Picture: Auspic The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................I How We Voted in the 43rd Parliament ..................................................................... V ‘Party Game’ Votes in the 43rd Parliament ............................................................VI Major Projects Funded in the 43rd Parliament .................................................. VIII Legislation Before the 43rd Parliament .................................................................... X Questions Without Notice to the 43rd Parliament ..........................................XVIII Motions to the 43rd Parliament ........................................................................... XLIII Big Issues of the 43rd Parliament ........................................................................ XLVI The Kennedy Electorate ...........................................................................................LXII I Foreword Welcome to this look back at one of our nation's most historic political periods - the 43rd 'Hung' Parliament of Australia - in which the role and representation of our diverse and sprawling North Queensland electorate of Kennedy has featured prominently. In the past three years under this so-called 'new political paradigm', we have witnessed a subtle but significant shift in the direction of philosophic thought regarding policies crucial to the survival of both our region and others throughout Australia. In September 2010 during negotiations on the formation of a minority government, we put forward our '20 points' of policy for the survival of our homeland - which not only laid the foundations for our strategic policy direction for the forthcoming three years and beyond; but also laid bare an alternative approach to the all-but identical mindset of the modern-day 'political duopoly' which runs this country. The LNP Coalition’s response ticked more of our 20 points. On this basis, we threw support behind the LNP Coalition forming Government. LEFT: Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter pictured in his Parliament House office announcing to the Australian public that he would support the LNP Government in the 43rd Parliament. Picture: Narelle Hine The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate II Whilst the team we backed failed to prevail on the day, the following three years have seen an adjustment in the strategies of both sides that has significant potential impacts for Australians. For instance, we have seen acknowledgement of the link between artificially-inflated interest rates and the $AUD with the relentless destruction of our once-strong food production and manufacturing industries. And lately we are hearing a groundswell of political lament about a supermarket oligopoly and the destruction of our farmers' and communities' viability. We’re also hearing a resurgence of major parties’ promises to "develop our under-utilised north" – ideas which have been championed by true visionaries such as the late Member of Parliament Ernie Bridge AM for decades, only to fall on deaf ears. Meanwhile, we’ve strengthened our collective voice in demanding a fair go on the global trading playing field, as we watch a flood of cheap foreign imports swamp our food producers and manufacturers. Australians across the nation have brought to surface a long-overdue debate that has been in the making under successive governments for almost 20 years - that is the value of Australian jobs, wages and industries versus the costs of importing foreign labour/wages and product. We invite the reader, in the following pages, to take a look back at some of the major legislative debates and initiatives during the 43rd Parliament of Australia. Whilst this historic 'Hung Parliament' will be remembered by many for myriad reasons, we look to the future with optimism for the 44th Parliament to deliver a change for the better for the place we proudly call home. Sincerely, Hon Bob Katter MP, KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy RIGHT: Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter in Parliament House Picture: Auspic The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate III IV V How we Voted in the 43rd Parliament Of the ‘divisions’ voted on by the Member for Kennedy during the 43rd Parliament, he voted 163 times with the Opposition, 133 times with the Government, 4 times with both Government and Opposition, and 2 times against both Government and Opposition. The Member for Kennedy was ‘paired’ (casting a pre-arranged vote in absentia) on 12 occasions. He cast a ‘free vote’ (conscience vote) on 1 occasion (on 19 September 2012). This is the only time that the Government gave their Members of Parliament the opportunity to vote against party lines. The Opposition did not. Key legislation that the Member for Kennedy either introduced or played a key role in driving the “for” or “against” argument included: FOR AGAINST • National Disability Insurance • Live export cattle ban Scheme • Marine parks expansion • ‘Malaysian solution’ for asylum • Carbon tax seekers • Rises in private health insurance • Cyclone Yasi recovery package • Murray Darling water buy-backs • Foreign worker crackdown • Deregulation of the wheat industry • Increased medical health research • Poker machine reforms • An inquiry into public sector job • Chronic dental disease treatment losses cutbacks • Protecting water from coal seam • Cuts to single parent payments gas drilling • University funding cuts LEFT: Bob Katter with Sikh constituents from the Kennedy Electorate in Canberra. Picture: Kirsty Beavon The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate VI ‘Party Game’ Votes in the 43rd Parliament Not every vote in Parliament related to legislation or key issues. Indeed out of the 502 votes in the 43rd Parliament, 153 were non-substantive/ procedural divisions – colloquially dubbed ‘party games’ at the expense of scheduled Parliamentary business, such as the debate and passage of legislation. ‘Party game’ votes usually have no significant purpose other than to delay or obstruct debate to achieve the annoyance or embarrassment of the opposing party. Mostly these votes are brought on by the Opposition and targeted at the Government, or vice-versa. The Member for Kennedy rarely participates in ‘party game’ votes. Following are further figures provided by the Parliament regarding ‘party game’ divisions (Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders, Closure of Debate, and Closure of a Member) in the House of Representatives during the 43rd Parliament: Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders (SSSOs): Motions to suspend standing and sessional orders (interrupting regular Parliamentary business) were put on 94 occasions. Of these 94 motions, 77 were put by the Opposition (to criticise or question or call on a minister to do something, for instance). The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate VII ABOVE: Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter began communicating with people via social media during the 43rd Parliament. Pictured above, assisted by advisor Kirsty Beavon, Mr Katter conducts his own ‘Question Time’ – dubbed #kattersQT – on Twitter in lieu of the vexatious and venomous Question Time exchanges in the House of Representatives. Picture: Mike Bowers – The Global Mail Of another 15 ‘procedural’ SSSOs (to call for a Private Members Bill to be debated, for instance), the Opposition moved 8; the Government moved 1; and 7 were moved by others. There was only one ‘substantive’ SSSO moved during the 43rd Parliament – and that was by the Member for Kennedy. Closure of member – ‘motion that the member be no longer heard’: A ‘gag’ to stop a Member of Parliament from being heard was moved on 54 occasions. Of these 54 ‘gags’, 48 were moved by the Government; and 6 by the Opposition. Closure of debate – ‘motions that the question be now put’: A ‘gag’ to halt debate and proceed summarily to a vote was moved on 13 occasions. Of these 13 ‘gags’, 10 were moved by the Government; 1 by the Opposition; and 2 by crossbenchers. The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate VIII Major Projects Funded in the 43rd Parliament A number of major or long-awaited projects have received funding during the 43rd Parliament following various meetings with communities and ministers, from North Queensland to Canberra. Some of these are listed on the following page*. The Historic 43rd Parliament and the Kennedy Electorate IX • Retention of $350 million for Pentland Irrigation project (part of Northern Australia Clean Energy Corridor/CuString) throughout all three Federal Budgets • $2.5 million for a commercial report on generating renewable power at Pentland, west of Townsville • More than $1 billion on roads in the electorate (including Bruce Highway, Flinders Highway, Outback Way, Wills Development Road, Hann Highway, Phosphate Hill Road, various truck rest areas and boom gate crossings, Cardwell Range, Gairloch floodway, Mulgrave River Bridge, Bruce