The Queensland Liberal Nation Party has a motto, “if you can’t beat ’em, redraw the electorates” a strategy of which former Premier Joh Bjelke Petersen would be proud. Joh employed this gerrymander method to great effect across Queensland during the 70’s and 80s to keep Labor out of government for which we can thank God and the old Country Party.
Today there is no reliance on conservative voters of KAP electorates to support the LNP, they just get rid of the electorate which is what they have done in tenacious KAP member Shane Knuth’s electorate of Hill, based on the regional centres of Atherton, Innisfail and Tully. This is the third time the LNP has dissolved one of Knuth’s electorates in a redistribution, which shows their inherent dislike for probably one of state parliament’s most effective members.
Hill has been carved up to merge with three adjoining electorates causing a wave of discontent throughout the Far North at a time when the Labor Liberal duopoly has never before been held in such contempt by voters. Although the Electoral Redistribution Commission has not made a final ruling on its proposal, there is no history to suggest it will listen to the many hundreds of submissions it received against any alterations to boundaries.
The Premier’s aversion to even mentioning abortion in state parliament, never mind the prescribed killing of 25,000 babies a year, endorsed by LNP leader Crisafulli but frequently aired by Knuth, the tough, Christian, state ex-footballer from Charters Towers, has not endeared him to the now Brisbane-centric party.
Knuth has championed KAP’s anti-abortion policy, Crocodile Control bill and an ethanol mandate of nine per cent in fuel much to the chagrin of the LNP and its dominant Liberal members.
This large agricultural electorate is home for much of Australia’s bananas, sugar, peanuts and quality cattle, a fact ignored by the farmer’s former friend, the LNP who could not care less the people of the pleasant Tablelands township of Malanda will now have to travel to Mt Isa 1000 kilometres west if they want to see their next state member of parliament Robbie Katter.
Shane Knuth’s Atherton office serves much of the Hill electorate quite well and is quite busy with parliamentary business every day with constituents, businessmen, sporting clubs and lately transport operators among others beating a path to the door.
Meanwhile the state LNP had better sharpen their wits to find the courage and integrity to tackle the One Nation behemoth about to overrun their territory.
Shane Knuth and Bob Katter have invited everybody concerned about the loss of the Hill electorate and with it a voice in parliament for the Far North to come to Wednesday’s meeting at the International Club, Atherton at 6pm.
