MEET THE NEW KAP TEAM
Crime also focus for Katter quartet
NORTH Queensland growth and crime will be the cornerstone of the Katter’s Australian Party approach to the 2020 state election.
With four candidates running in Townsville seats, including Hinchinbrook incumbent Nick Dametto, the party will once again attempt to grab hold of Townsville city.
Today, the party is expected to announce Julianne Wood for Thuringowa, Alannah Tomlinson for Mundingburra and Josh Schwarz for Townsville to run alongside Mr Dametto.
Ms Tomlinson, who is originally from Hobart but moved to North Queensland to escape the cold, has a strong focus on developing Townsville’s economy.
“I’ve worked on Palmer St for the past nine years and we have seen a huge turnover,” the 34-year-old said.
“It’s one business after the other and it’s really sad to watch. I want to see a big change, I want to see all of those restaurants full of people, I want to see our economic structure rise, I want to see restaurants turning over bigger profits than what we have.”
Ms Tomlinson works two jobs, including Jam Corner in Palmer St, and looks after her two children and two step children in between. Mr Schwarz, the candidate for Townsville, has a strong history in agriculture including aquaculture, primary production, water resources and the marine environment. He will also push for economic growth in Townsville.
“We want to see the necessary funding and infrastructure development to build the future of our state,” he said.
Mr Schwarz said it was not just about how many jobs the region could create in the short-term, but maintaining the jobs into the future.
The father of three said building the infrastructure needed for the next 50-100 years was the key to ensuring the growth of the region.
“By developing the region, we’re developing Townsville,” he said.
“We need to make sure the money invested in our state is benefiting the Queenslanders of tomorrow, not just today.”
Mr Schwarz is originally from the Gold Coast and moved to Townsville for university. He has lived in Townsville for 22 years.
Take Back Townsville advocate Julianne Wood will run for the seat of Thuringowa.
Ms Wood made a name for herself in the city advocating for stronger youth crime punishment.
It is a fight she has pledged to continue if she is elected. But Ms Wood said the recent drop in crime should not be taken for granted and was likely due to coronavirus.
She said there was a crime problem across the state and she hoped to be an advocate for the whole state, not just Townsville.
“The breach of bail is my big thing. When these kids breach their bail, they have to be held accountable,” she said.
“Now, I believe they’re given chance after chance after chance. There is too much of a soft-handed approach.”
She said children were not taking detention seriously either.
“We strongly believe in the relocation of the kids as an alternative of the bail, then detention, then a third alternative would be to send these kids out … (to places like) Lake Julius,” Ms Wood said.
Mr Dametto made KAP history when he secured the seat of Hinchinbrook in the 2017 election. It was the first time a KAP member had won a major regional city seat.
Mr Dametto said the KAP had advocated for many important projects and policies and the job was not over yet.
“The KAP has had to take on metropolitan issues for the first time, everything from bullying in schools, youth crime,” he said.