Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) candidate for Herbert, Clynton Hawks, says the LNP’s plans to exacerbate the housing crisis in Townsville shows the party is not listening to the concerns of residents. 

At a time of record low housing vacancy rates, Mr Hawks says recent announcements to bring more workers to the region will worsen housing conditions, suppress wages, and put strain social and physical infrastructure already at a breaking point. 

“The LNP and Townsville Enterprise are tone-deaf to what people are really asking for and it isn’t more outsiders coming in to put pressure on housing, pressure on healthcare, and grinding our roads to a standstill. 

“Townsville’s water security is still a burning issue but the LNP’s solution is to put more pressure on the system. 

“I’ve done the rounds of every suburb in Townsville and I haven’t heard anyone calling for more congested roads, harsher water restrictions, and over-crowded classrooms. 

“Our emergency departments are getting crushed by the demand and the LNP responded by cutting $176 million from Queensland hospitals in 2023‑24 and 2024‑25. 

“We have struggling Aussie families on two low-income wages living on the streets who cannot get into overpriced housing. 

“Bringing in all these foreign workers to fill skill shortages is not the answer. 

“The number of people on Jobseeker payments in Townsville has grown by 1,300 since 2019.   

“We have 7.3% of the able-bodied Townsville population sitting on government handouts, plus 5% who are sitting on their backsides due to these vaccine mandates. 

“Townsville deserves an MP in federal parliament who won’t toe the party line and will fight to ensure we are looking after our own.”