Responding to reports from North West Mayors, Member for Traeger and KAP Leader Robbie Katter has formally written to the Prime Minister to urgently request federal funding for CopperString.
After the Premier doubled down on the importance of CopperString to Queensland, the Queensland Treasurer has also failed to tell the Queensland Parliament if the Government has formally requested Federal Funding for the Nationally significant CopperString project.
“My local Mayors have come back from a delegation to Canberra and tell me the Federal Government haven’t received any formal requests for funding for CopperString,” Leader of the KAP and state Member for Traeger Robbie Katter has said.
“I didn’t want to wait another day, so I’ve written to the Prime Minister on behalf of Queenslanders.
“With so much uncertainly, and QIC running around looking for private investment, connecting Mount Isa to the National Energy Market needs the surety of both Federal and State funding.
“It is just so frustrating that the Queensland Government are chasing private investors, who will be chasing a return on their investment, not developing the North West Minerals Province (NWMP) and our sovereignty in Critical Minerals.
“Why on earth have they not formally requested Federal money? It makes no sense!” he said.
The Federal Government confirmed to KAP Federal Member for Kennedy that no formal request for CopperString funding has been made.
“Queensland’s Premier told Parliament that Mount Isa must be connected, right or wrong, and doubled down on the need for our sovereign capabilities,” the KAP Leader said.
“CopperString is more than convenience or getting household power prices down – it’s about building our state and our nation.
“$700 Billion of critical minerals and base metals are yet to be extracted in the NWMP, metals such as copper, which is seeing enormous demand across the world, especially with global unrest.
“The Queensland government needs to stop doing inter-governmental negotiations via the media and public statements and formally ask the Federal government for funding.
“Australia’s ability to participate in the global critical minerals rush is full dependent on being able to move from costly diesel power generation to affordable, national-grid supplied baseload power,” Mr Katter said.