The Force from the North, Bob Katter MP, knows that life is a negotiating table, and he isn’t afraid to make an outrageous demand first off, knowing that after he cuts a deal it’ll still be a big pay day:
No Government (of any persuasion) will agree to providing anything near this amount each year for a North Queensland infrastructure fund, as demanded by Mr Katter.
To put it in some perspective, consider that there are around 700,000 people living in North Queensland, so $1 billion per annum amounts to around $1,400 per North Queenslander per year. Mr Katter can’t believe any credible political leader would agree to this much extra funding. He would be lucky to get 10% of this amount per annum for the North, and I’m guessing he knows it. But he’s a wheeler dealer from way back, and he’s been waiting for this pay day for a long time.
Queensland Economy Watch 