More than judges needed Katter in banking probe call
THE North Queensland Warriors have become national cheerleading champions after three intense days of competition against Australia’s best.
The Australian All Star Cheerleading Federation conducted the Australian All Star Cheer and Dance Championships in Melbourne from November 24- 27 with more than 10,600 competitors from all over the country.
The NQ Warriors were national champions for five events made up of different skill levels and performance criteria. Director Leah Buchanan said the teams were shocked but had worked hard to achieve their results.
“They were up against some of the biggest performers in Australia, some of which have around 600 members whereas we probably have around 100,” she said.
Two NQ Warrior teams, Infinity and Revolution, were asked to compete in the Pinnacle Champions, an exclusive invitation- only competit- ion held immediately after the championships, which they also won. Revolution even landed a bid to compete in the Summit, a world event held in Florida in 2018. Ms Buchanan was also asked to choreograph teams in the US next year.
The NQ Warriors includes males and females of all ages and will hold an open day at Turnbull St, Garbutt, on Saturday from 9am to noon. Anyone interested in taking up the sport is invited to come along.
DANNI SHAFIK KENNEDY MP Bob Katter says the banking royal commission announced by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull needs to be run by a panel of community representatives as well as judges.
The commission will have 12 months to complete its review after the big four banks wrote to Treasurer Scott Morrison asking for an inquiry to restore public faith in the sector.
Mr Katter suggested social justice campaigner Tim Costello, priest and human rights lawyer Father Frank Brennan and former Clean Energy Finance Corporation chief Oliver Yates, calling them “people that the people of Australia would trust to do the right thing”.
Mr Katter said he wanted the royal commission to be run by three judges and four people from the community.
“We don’t want Caesar judging Caesar, so the last group of people that I want to see there is anyone from the financial sector,” he said.
Dawson MP George Christensen said he was aware of many farmers and small business owners who had been subject to misconduct by the banking sector.
“I’ve seen an array of cases come through my office from people both locally in this region and from outside of my electorate, where there have been quite clearly unethical actions. From the evidence I have seen, it seems to me fraudulent and perhaps even criminal actions and there’s been that many cases that it’s not just an isolated incident,” he said.
“I would hope that there is a look at North Queensland, at regional Queensland, where I know there have been many, many cases raised.”
Herbert MP Cathy O’Toole said she didn’t think the time frame was long enough.
“If you look at Townsville, for example, where we had 1000 people impacted by the Storm Financial crisis, we need to ensure that whatever this royal commission does, it is done properly,” she said.
“Given that Labor has been asking for this for 601 days, it needs be done in a bipartisan way, it needs to ask the hard and difficult questions and that may well take time.”
Ms O’Toole said public hearings should be held too.
“You have small business owners who come to me with boxes of information, beside themselves, ( with) mental health implications because of the distress and anxiety they’ve been through,” she said.
“People have lost their homes, people have lost their businesses. Their voice must be heard because that’s where the change needs to come from.”