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Bob Katter

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This article is about the current Australian politician. For his father, see Bob Katter, Sr.
The Honourable
Bob Katter
MP
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Kennedy
Assumed office
13 March 1993
Preceded byRob Hulls
Member of the Queensland Parliament
for Flinders
In office
7 December 1974 – 25 August 1992
Preceded byBill Lonergan
Succeeded byseat abolished
Personal details
Born (1945-05-22) 22 May 1945 (age 79)
Cloncurry, Queensland
NationalityAustralian
Political partyNational (1974–2001)
Independent (2001–2011)
RelationsBob Katter, Sr. (father)
Alma materUniversity of Queensland
OccupationLabourer, Grazier
WebsiteKatter's Australian Party website
Military service
Branch/serviceCitizens Military Force
RankSecond Lieutenant
Unit11th Brigade

Robert Carl "Bob" Katter (born 22 May 1945) is an Australian federal politician, a member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993 for the Division of Kennedy, and the leader of Katter's Australian Party. He began his parliamentary career as a member of the National Party of Australia, but left the party in 2001 and continues to hold the seat as an independent. On 3 June 2011 Katter applied for registration of Katter's Australian Party with the Australian Electoral Commission.[2] Katter will sit as the only federal parliamentary member of his new party when it is formally registered. Prior to his election to federal politics, Katter was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly, from 1974 to 1992, representing the seat of Flinders, Queensland for the National Party. Katter was a Minister in the Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen-led National Party government, holding various portfolios between 1983 and 1989.[3]

Early career and family background

Katter was born in Cloncurry, Queensland, the son of Bob Katter, Sr., who was the member for Kennedy from 1966 to 1990. Katter is of Maronite Catholic Lebanese descent[4] and is said to be a distant relative of the world renowned poet Khalil Gibran.[5] He was an investor in cattle and mining interests before entering politics via the Queensland state parliament in 1974.

During their 1964 Australian tour, The Beatles were pelted by eggs from some unknown assailants. Katter, then a university student, later came forward and admitted his involvement, in what he explained was an "intellectual reaction against Beatlemania."[6]

Political career

Katter was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly electoral district of Flinders from 1974 to 1992. In Queensland, he was Minister for Northern Development and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs from 1983 to 1987, Minister for Northern Development, Community Services and Ethnic Affairs from 1987 to 1989, Minister for Community Services and Ethnic Affairs in 1989, Minister for Mines and Energy in 1989, and Minister for Northern and Regional Development in 1989.[3]

Katter's father was a member of the Australian Labor Party until 1957, when he left during the Labor split of that year and joined the Queensland Labor Party, which later became part of the Democratic Labor Party. He later joined the Country Party, the forerunner of the National Party.

While in the Queensland Parliament, Katter junior was a strong supporter of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.[7] When he transferred to federal politics, he found himself increasingly out of sympathy with the federal Liberal and National parties on economic and social issues. In 2001 he resigned from the National Party and easily retained his seat as an independent at the general elections of 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010, each time ending up with almost 70 percent of the vote after preferences were distributed.

On 5 June 2011 Katter launched a new political party, Katter's Australian Party, which he said would "unashamedly represent agriculture".[8]

Political views

Katter is known as an unabashed social conservative. On economic issues, like his father Katter retains elements of socialist political views from the 1950s, including opposition to privatisation and economic deregulation.

In November 1989, Katter claimed there were no homosexuals in North Queensland. He promised to walk backwards from Bourke if there were any.[9] Katter voted against the Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act, 1994, which decriminalised homosexuality in Tasmania.[10]

In 1996, Katter supported his National Party colleague Bob Burgess against critics after Burgess made controversial comments including a characterisation of Australian citizenship ceremonies as "dewogging". Katter described critics of Burgess as "little slanty-eyed idealogues who persecute ordinary average Australians."[11] Two weeks later, Katter complained that it was "nigh on impossible" to send children from his area to boarding schools "unless you're rich or unless you happen to be of Aboriginal descent".[11] Pauline Hanson later said that Katter would be welcome to join her One Nation party if he wanted to leave the Coalition.[12]

In 1997, Katter advocated changing the Child Support Scheme to lessen the financial maintenance obligations for non-custodial parents. He claimed there was an "anti-male bias" in the scheme, and that "in 90 per cent of cases the bloke has done nothing wrong [and] the woman was at fault".[13]

An opponent of the tougher gun control laws introduced in the wake of the 1996 massacre in Port Arthur, Tasmania, Katter was accused in 2001 of signing a petition promoted by the Citizens Electoral Council (CEC), an organisation that claims the Port Arthur massacre was a conspiracy.[14]

He is critical of climate change and has been an opponent against enacting legislation to control emissions. "I mean, if you could imagine 20 or 30 crocodiles up there on the roof, and if all that roof was illumination, and saying that we wouldn't see anything in this room because of a few croco-roaches up there", he continued, "are you telling me seriously that the world is going to warm because there's 400 parts per million of CO2 up there?" [15]

Katter has supported ethanol fuel subsidies, is against the importation of bananas into Australia, and wants to smash the supermarket duopoly of Coles and Woolworths.[16]

In the aftermath of the 2010 federal election, Katter offered a range of views on the way forward for a minority government with the support of three former members of the National Party, Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and himself, who were all re-elected as independent members of parliament from rural electorates.[17] Katter stated his vote would go to "whoever gives us the right to survive".[citation needed] He presented a document titled 20 points and asked the major parties to respond before deciding which party he would support.[citation needed] The sobriquet 'Mad Katter' was coined by the media to describe Katter and his ideas.[18][19][20]

On 7 September 2010 Katter announced his support for a Liberal/National Party coalition minority government.[21]

In August 2011 Katter said the prospect of same-sex marriage "deserves to be laughed at and ridiculed".[22] The following week, his half-brother Carl, who is gay, spoke to Channel Ten, saying of Katter's comments "It's hurtful, it's dangerous, it's damaging, and it's really inappropriate."[23]

References

  1. ^ Fitzgerald, Ross (24 August 2010). "Bob Katter plays hard in crusade for the bush". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
  2. ^ Patrick Lion (4 June 2011). "Queensland MP Bob Katter registered Katter's Australian Party with the Australian Electoral Commission". News Limited. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  3. ^ a b "The Hon Bob Katter MP, Member for Kennedy (Qld)". Australian Parliament House website. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  4. ^ Fitzgerald, Ross (24 August 2010). "Bob Katter plays hard in crusade for the bush". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  5. ^ Jones, Barry (8 May 1990). "Death of Hon R.C. Katter". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  6. ^ Townsend, Ian (30 June 2004). "I am the egg man: Katter". The World Today. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  7. ^ Chandler, Jo (2010-08-28). "Big mouth will need to do some fast talking if he backs Labor". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2010-02-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  8. ^ Marszalek, Jessica (5 June 2011). "Katter's party to 'unashamedly represent agriculture'". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
  9. ^ Seccombe, Mike (4 March 1994). "Bottom Line For Katter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 2. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  10. ^ Roberts, Greg (1 April 2000). "Katter-brained". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 42.
  11. ^ a b Milliken, Robert (15 February 1996). "Keating pledges referendum on the monarchy". The Independent. Independent Print Limited.
  12. ^ Grattan, Michelle (2 April 2001). "Katter, Kelly come on down: Hanson". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 7. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  13. ^ "Editorial: Putting children first". The Age. Fairfax Media. 13 June 1997. p. 14.
  14. ^ "Katter accused of promoting Port Arthur massacre conspiracy theory". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 June 2001. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  15. ^ "Katter throws crocs into climate debate". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  16. ^ Harvey, Michael (23 August 2010). "Six men who could hold the key to Australia's government". Herald Sun. News Limited. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  17. ^ Foley, Meraiah (25 August 2010). "Rural Lawmakers Hold Key in Australian Election". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  18. ^ Chvastek, Nicole (25 August 2010). "The Mad Katter .. and the Frankston Eviction Debacle". 774 ABC Melbourne. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  19. ^ Birmingham, John (24 August 2010). "The joys and pains of a well hung parliament". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  20. ^ Lewis, Steven; Ironside, Robyn (25 August 2010). "Mad Katter denies kill threat". The Advertiser. News Limited. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  21. ^ Saulwick, Jacob (7 September 2010). "Katter supports Abbott". smh.com.au. Retrieved 7 September 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ "Gay marriage ridicule 'damages youths'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 16 August, 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Bob Katter's gay brother speaks out, ABC News, 23 August 2011.


Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Flinders
1974–1992 		District abolished
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Northern Development and Aboriginal and Island Affairs
1983–1986 		Succeeded by
Himself
Vacant
Title next held by
Anne Warner
as Minister for Aboriginal and Islander Affairs
Preceded by
Himself
 Minister for Northern Development and Community Services
1986–1987 		Succeeded by
Himself
Preceded byas Minister for Community Services
Preceded by
Himself
 Minister for Northern Development, Community Services and Ethnic Affairs
1987–1989 		Succeeded by
Himself
Preceded byas Minister for Ethnic Affairs Succeeded byas Minister for Northern Development
Preceded by
Himself
 Minister for Community Services and Ethnic Affairs
1989 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Mines and Energy
1989 		Succeeded byas Minister for Mines
Succeeded byas Minister for Energy
Preceded by Minister for Northern and Regional Development
1989 		Succeeded byas Minister for Regional Development
Parliament of Australia

Template:Incumbent succession box

Template:Persondata

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