(Photo: Maranoa Electorate Office)
August 29, 2018
When newly elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison made his flying visit to Queensland on Monday, most people wouldn’t have realised the strong Kingaroy connection to the event.
The PM, accompanied by Agriculture Minister and Member for Maranoa David Littleproud, Regional Services Minister Senator Bridget McKenzie and Deputy PM and Nationals Leader Michael McCormack, dropped in to visit ‘Bunginderry’, a 185,000 acre sheep and cattle station west of Quilpie.
‘Bunginderry’ has been in the Tully family for five generations, enjoying good times as well as enduring droughts.
Owners John and Wendy Tully retired to Kingaroy in 2006, leaving the property in the capable hands of son and daughter-in-law Stephen and Annabel but they are still frequent visitors out west.
Mr Littleproud invited the PM to visit western Queensland to see at firsthand the effects of drought.
“The Tullys are fifth generation farmers bringing up five children on Bunginderry Station, so they’re bred tough but no one is immune from this ongoing drought, and that’s why we’re out here listening and helping,” Mr Littleproud said.
“We’ve been in drought six or seven years so it was great to have the PM see firsthand what proactive measures – like wild dog fencing and other pest and weed management activities – does for a community going into the future.
“It’s one thing to try to explain something like drought or dog fencing to someone but it’s always so much better when they see it.
“Mr Morrison came to learn and didn’t pretend to know it all. He listened to locals.”
The electorate of Maranoa covers 42 per cent of rural Queensland, stretching from the Northern Territory border in the west to Blackbutt in the east and north to past Winton.
“It was great to have the new PM visiting Maranoa and making drought his first priority as PM,” Mr Littleproud said.
“One of the best things Australians can do for these drought-affected communities is get off your butt and come out here.
“Visit our towns in rural and remote Queensland and spend a few dollars to keep the local economy going. I bet you’ll be met with smiling faces and a cold beer and it’ll make one of the best holidays you’ve ever had.”
