State Member for Mount Isa, Rob Katter has said cutting regional weather recording services flies in the face of plans to develop the North.
Mr Katter is angered that the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has confirmed it will close regional offices in Queensland, including Mount Isa.
"This is another example of a decline in services in regional areas and another hit for regional communities," Mr Katter said.
He said the move would again incite scepticism of the Federal Government's plans to develop the North.
"Regional communities lose out again because of a corporatist approach to essential services," he said.
"We've seen that this corporatist model approach doesn't work in regional communities."
Mr Katter questioned how the BOM could justify the cutbacks to regional areas.
"I would be interested to see the pay structure at the top end of this organisation.
“It’s likely there would be no job cuts at the top end of town in the head office, but regional communities lose people who are entrenched in the community, like BOM Mount Isa office manager Les Lever, who is an integral part of the community."
Mr Katter said said weather reporting was an important function for the North.
"It's an unacceptable decline in services and now we are going to have to rely on automation to report important facts and figures.
"For areas which are of such importance for the agriculture industry, the weather is a vital part of day-to-day operations and it's important to have someone based locally for expertise and advice."
"This flies in the face of any aspirations to develop the North."
Mr Katter said the job of a 'local weatherman' was essential for local communities.
"They go out and do educational sessions at schools and regularly appear on local radio or in the local newspaper.
"I have written to the Federal Environment Minister urging him to rethink this decision.”