By HARRY CLARKE
ANTHONY Albanese is today launching from the chutes of Parliament House in Canberra and riding into the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo arena, in what is believed to be the first visit to North West Queensland’s unofficial capital by a sitting Australian Prime Minister.
Albanese has been roped into visiting Mount Isa and attending the southern hemisphere’s largest and richest rodeo by Kennedy MP Bob Katter, as the iconic outback copper city this year marks 100 years since its foundation.
The 2023 Mount Isa Mines Rodeo began last night with the second annual Indigenous Rodeo Championships, and Katter and the Prime Minister will officially open proceedings this evening in a special ceremony at 6pm on the hallowed red dirt of Buchanan Park.
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“I’m really looking forward to my first visit to the Isa Rodeo,” Albanese said.
“It’s an Aussie institution that brings people together and I can’t imagine a better host than Bob Katter.
“Mount Isa is helping drive the Australian economy. This visit will be a terrific chance to thank locals for making a positive difference in their community, and to talk about how we’re working together to grow our economy and support our regions, so there are more jobs and more opportunities for more people in more parts of our vast country.”
During their visit to Mount Isa, Katter and Albanese will also be presenting prestigious Australian Icon awards to five notable individuals, four of whom hail from North Queensland and the fifth being the world’s oldest cowboy renowned for his rodeoing feats in Mount Isa:
- Doomadgee Mayor Jason Ned
- 91-year-old cowboy Bob Holder
- Boxing showman Fred Brophy
- Rugby league great Scott Prince
- Father Mick Lowcock