General News
5 March, 2025
Katter not happy with Queensland rPPP funding delay
Queensland is the only state not to have had its funding announced in the federal program.
Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has called on the Department of Infrastructure to make haste and determine the outcome of the Queensland Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP) grants and declare the successful applicants before the federal election is called.
“Grant recipients have been revealed in other states but not for Queensland,” Mr Katter said, responding to concerns raised by Cloncurry Shire Council, which is sweating on an application to further fund upgrades at the airport.
“If the government goes into caretaker mode before those grants are awarded, it’ll be at least six months before anyone knows if they’re successful, but worse still, the whole grant program could be thrown out if there is a change of government.
“It is just not good enough that they are taking this long.
“We have applicants like Cloncurry Shire Council who have spent countless hours collating information for their airport upgrade application only to be told the guidelines have changed at the eleventh hour and they should consider re-submitting.
“Changing the rules halfway through a game is far from ideal, especially if the delay causes Queensland applicants to miss out on this vital funding.”
Cloncurry mayor Greg Campbell said the airport was the gateway for workers at Ernest Henry, Dugald River, Eloise, Great Australian Mine and Rocklands.
“It will also be the main access for workers on the CopperString project and for the new Eva mine,” he said.
The rPPP grants offer regional councils and other organisations between $5 million and $50 million to improve local infrastructure and cover project costs of construction materials, leasing equipment, project labour and administrative overheads.