Two abattoirs in Australia’s north have been approved, but according to Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, the close proximity of the facilities will not be a problem.
One facility is near Darwin and the other in Cloncurrry, in north-west Queensland.
The Conclurry facility in the Northern Territory was approved by the state government earlier this month.
The meatworks facility will have the capacity to process 1000 animals a day.
On Wednesday the Australian Agricultural Company (AACo) announced it plans to purchase 600 hectares near Darwin for its northern abattoir project.
Currently there are not any major meat processing faculties located in the Northern Territory, top end of Queensland or Western Australia, so Katter believes the construction of two in relatively close proximity will not be an issue.
"I don't think [it will be a problem]. I really don't because there's room for one in Darwin, too," he said.
Katter said if the Katter Australian Party had been elected in the recent Queensland election, it would have ensured all graziers and cattleman in the Mid West and Gulf would have access to irrigation.
It would have justified the development of "two meatworks to service the Gulf and Mid West,” he said.
Katter said his proposal could "easily turn off half a million head of cattle a year," as the processing facility cuts the weight of the meat to one-third for easier transport to the Port of Townsville.
"It would double production, double carrying capacity, and they wouldn't have setbacks in a drought if they had irrigation on farms," he said.
"Why the government won't allow it is beyond my wildest stretch of imagination."