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General News

20 July, 2020

KAP announce candidate for Cook

Leader of Katter’s Australia Party (KAP), Robbie Katter yesterday announced that FNQ Nurse Tanika Parker is the KAP candidate for the electorate of Cook.

By Phil Brandel

KAP announce candidate for Cook - feature photo

On Monday June 20, Leader of Katter’s Australia Party (KAP), Robbie Katter announced that FNQ Nurse Tanika Parker would be the KAP candidate for the electorate of Cook.

Mr Katter, who was in Mareeba to make the announcement, said that the Cook electorate deserved more than it had received under the past two ALP terms.

“We get continual feedback that the current member for Cook is M.I.A and that the electorate is missing out on much needed funding and attention,” he said

“If elected Tanika will re-open the office in Mareeba with locally employed staff, because in the regions every job counts.

“It is inconceivable that you have to drive to another electorate to see your local Member of Parliament.”

Member for Hill Shane Knuth said he was very pleased with the endorsement of Tanika Parker to run as the KAP candidate for Cook in the upcoming State Election.

“We have already proven that we don’t just talk the talk, but we walk the walk,” he said.

“With neighbouring electorates under the same party, Tanika and I will be able to work together to get better outcomes for our region.”

Ms Parker was born in Townsville and is a proud Guguu Yimithirr woman growing up around Hopevale and Cooktown before leaving to study nursing at JCU in Townsville.

Ms Parker has been a participant in Mareeba and Cape York rodeos talent quest and is passionate about the lifestyle and economy of Cook.

“If elected, I will bring the office back to Mareeba, fight to have Mareeba Hospital upgraded as the central hospital for the whole of the Cape and surrounds and create infrastructure such as ports which will open up the cattle industry in Mareeba and the Cape.”

Ms Parker said there are several issues facing the residents of the cape including health and youth crime. “As part of my studies I’ve done a lot of research into food and food access in Cooktown and Hopevale and during my studies I noticed disparities with healthcare throughout the cape.

“There are also disparities for Indigenous people and a lack of access to resources on the cape.”

“We also want to concentrate on Mareeba by making it the gateway to the cape and that’s what I intend to do.”

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