Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier David Crisafulli would be remembered as presiding over the industrial destruction of North-West Queensland if they failed to act on a gas reservation policy, Kennedy MP Bob Katter said.

Mr Katter applauded news this week that the Federal Government would consider creating a gas reservation for the country’s east coast as part of an industry review to prevent shortages.

But he said the unseen detail of the plan would determine whether Mount Isa and the North-West Minerals Province survived or collapsed.

The region is not connected to the national electricity grid and relies on gas for electricity, chemical production and industry operations.

“We are paying up to $16.60 for a unit of gas in Mount Isa, while the Americans and Russians are
paying $5 US. It’s impossible to survive or compete under those conditions,” Mr Katter said.

“Give us RRP (a gas reservation policy) and we go forward. Deny us, and there will be a collapse.”

Mr Katter compared the situation to Western Australia, where he said a long-standing gas reservation
policy was helping power the construction of a giant fertiliser plant.

“Here, we’ve got a fertiliser plant in Mount Isa that alone can bring in a thousand million dollars in a
good year. And we’re hanging by a thread.”