Read about Katter’s Australian Party’s media mentions and moments from this week, including from radio, newspaper and more.

Media Moment of the week

SHE SAID WHAT???

On Monday evening at the filming of ABC’S Q&A in Mackay, an audience member Debbie Ellwood asked;

“Central Queensland, Mackay and Whitsundays remained croc free from the 1960s to the 1990s. Since being protected in the early 1970s we now have an overwhelming number in this area. We cull kangaroos, we have even culled koalas. would we ever consider culling crocodiles as they have no natural predators?”

Greens Senator Larissa Waters’ response was by saying “the notion that we can’t learn to live with our natural environment…” in which Bob Katter responded “when it’s eating ya, you can’t!”

She then went on further and said, “Well many of the people that are taken by crocs have often had a couple to drink…. And they’re going into the water after dark.” 

The North Queensland audience responded accordingly…

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Katter’s Australian Party

Palaszczuk considering Katter response (Stock & Land, ONLINE, August 25)
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is considering Katter’s Australian Party’s response to her demand for its state members to denounce Senator Fraser Anning’s divisive maiden speech.

KAP replied on Friday to a letter from the premier calling for action by 5pm.

Senator Anning sparked fury among federal parliamentarians and the public when he used the Nazi-associated term “final solution” during his first speech last week.

Spokesmen for both the premier and KAP declined to comment about the contents of the letter sent by state leader Robbie Katter.

Mr Katter previously said he would not denounce Senator Anning’s speech after the premier suggested a review of its staffing hinged on the party condemning the senator.

“I think they’re skating on very thin ice legally, appropriating money or misappropriating money in the parliament for the purposes of whether, or whether they do not, agree with someone’s political view,” Mr Katter said.

KAP fires back at LNP shot (Townsville Bulletin, August 25)
Queensland’s Katter’s Australian Party members have been accused of failing their communities after the LNP slammed them fornot showing up to Parliament.

Letters (1) (Townsville Bulletin, August 25)
So the Premier is going to pull FIVE parliamentary staff by 5pm if the Katter Party does not revoke Fraser Anning’s first speech. When did we become a dictatorship and not a democracy? Whatever happened to free speech in this country?

Guns down everyone, Anning is just the messenger (Mornington Bulletin, August 25)
IN REFERENCE to the storm of vitriol surrounding the maiden speech in Federal Parliament by Fraser Anning.

WIN Cairns, Cairns, WIN News at 18:14
Katter’s Australian Party has long claimed that the state is in a middle crocodile crisis, with the team spotting more than 20 crocodiles in just one hour flight above two rivers. Some MPs believe the State Government is doing enough and that the KAP’s bill isn’t the way to go.

Southern Cross Cairns, Nine News Far North Queensland at 18:06
The great crocodile management debate has been reignited in Cairns with the Katter Australia Party’s Safer Waterways Bill which will allow the culling of crocodiles in popular waterways. The party also wants to create a Qld croc management authority to decide which crocs need to be culled. Warren Entsch, Leichhardt MP, concedes culling is a necessary option but doesn’t fully support the bill.

Croc shows up for pollies (Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette, August 30)
A crocodile swam through the flagged zone at Four Mile Beach on Monday, the same day that the parliamentary committee was in Port Douglas to conduct a hearing on the Katter Party’s proposed croc management plan, the Safer Waterways Bill. The lifeguard spotted it at 9am about 60m offshore, around the red and yellow buoys.

Push for solution to a serious situation (Townsville Bulletin, August 30)
IGNORING the increase in crocodile sightings in North Queensland is “not fair” on the locals who fear for their safety say supporters of a bill to reduce the reptile population. A parliamentary committee in Townsville on Tuesday heard from a range of stakeholders on the proposed Safer Waterways Bill, introduced to Queensland Parliament by the Katter’s Australian Party.

Katter pleads for safety of locals in croc debate (Courier Mail, August 30)
IGNORING the increase in crocodile sightings in north Queensland is “not fair” on locals who fear for their safety, say supporters of a Bill to reduce the reptile population. A parliamentary committee in Townsville last night heard from a range of stakeholders on the proposed Safer Waterways Bill, introduced to Queensland Parliament by the Katter’s Australian Party.

Bob Katter – Federal Member for Kennedy

Katter’s Navy Bob fires up over border (Cairns Post, August 27)
BOB Katter says Australia needs 100 offshore patrol boats capable of launching missiles to properly protect her borders. The Kennedy MP has slammed the Federal Government for focusing on internal quibbling instead of the sovereignty of the Queensland coast.

You can’t bank on a fair deal (Sunday Tasmanian, August 26)
I AGREE with Bob Katter: “Normally I like my greens with a T-bone steak, but it’s good to see them and former ACCC chair Allan Fels backing policy for full bank separation.” The current regulators, ASIC [Australian Securities and Investments Commission] and APRA [Australian Prudential Regulation Authority], have shown over and over again they are more interested in keeping the big banks happy than protecting customers. This sector needs a powerful regulator who will stand up for us.

Katter’s two step plan to curb DV (North West Star, August 28)
BOB Katter has a two step plan to reduce skyrocketing rates of domestic violence in north west Queensland. ‘The federal MP for Kennedy, who identifies as a “black fella”, says removing alcohol restrictions and increasing Aboriginal land ownership will held curb the crisis.

No bypass for now (Herbert River Express, August 29)
BOB Katter is warning against complacency in the fight against the proposed Ingham bypass. The federal MP for Kennedy and head of Katter’s Australian Party, told the Herbert River Express that even though there was no approved funding for the design or construction of the Ingham to Cardwell Range Deviation project, “we’ve got to keep an extremely close watch on this issue”.

MPs support Nth Qld State (Morning Bulletin/Daily Mercury, August 29)
MAVERICK MPs Bob Katter and George Christensen reignited rumblings of an independent North Queensland state during Q&A in Mackay on Monday night. An audience question from Helen Newell brought a cheer from Mr Katter when she raised the neglect and indifference many northerners feel about metro-centric policy.

Katter on crocs (Bowen Independent, August 29)
KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter was in Townsville yesterday to address two of the North’s most pressing issues; crocodiles and the absolute necessity of splitting the state of Queensland. Mr Katter addressed media yesterday morning reiterating the intentions of the Katter’s Australian Party’s Safer Waterways Bill and highlighting why it must proceed through the Queensland Parliament.

WIN Cairns, Cairns, WIN News at 18:07
Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch has slammed Katter’s Australian Party’s plans to make North Qld its own separate state. Bob Katter stands by the state split, saying it is essential to unlocking the northern region’s full potential.

Seven Townsville, Townsville/Cairns/Rockhampton/Mackay, Seven Local News at 18:07
Member for Kennedy Bob Katter says North Qld’s potential can never be reached while it’s controlled by the south-east. A meeting about the possibility of a split state is being held in Townsville.

ABC Newcastle, Newcastle/Townsville/Brisbane 06:30 News at 06:31
North Queensland Federal MP and key crossbencher Bob Katter is willing to offer stability to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The Coalition is at risk of losing its majority in Parliament with the by-election due in former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth.

Power 100, Townsville, 07:00 News at 07:02
Bob Katter says a separate North Qld Government would not be in a better position to stop illegals from entering the country. His comments come following the 12 asylum-seekers found on the run in the North of Cairns. Katter will be speaking at tonight’s New State Forum in Townsville, promising a separate state would have better control of the situation.

106.3 FM, Townsville, 06:00 News at 06:02
Border Force says it thinks there are more migrants hiding out somewhere in the Daintree, with 12 already in custody. This comes after their fishing vessel ran a ground on the weekend. KAP leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter says the Government clearly has dropped the ball on border protection. It seems Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk agrees with him.

ABC Radio Melbourne, Melbourne/Darwin/Perth/Brisbane/Longreach/Muswellbrook , 09:00 News at 09:01
North Qld Federal MP and key crossbencher Bob Katter says he is willing to offer stability to new PM Scott Morrison. The Coalition is at risk of losing its majority in Parliament with the by-election due in former PM Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth. Katter states it is KAP’s policy to provide stability wherever possible.

Cruise, Adelaide, 08:30 News at 08:31
Bob Katter says he is willing to help the Coalition with its numbers for the by-election in Malcolm Turnbull’s Seat of Wentworth. Katter says he has a good relationship with new PM Scott Morrison but his support is not without strings.

ABC North Queensland, Townsville, 07:30 News at 07:30
Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter says plans for a crocodile sanctuary in Qld could address concerns about the presence of the reptiles in local waterways. The proposal was raised during a state parliamentary hearing in Townsville yesterday, in the Katter’s Australian Party’s bill to allow crocodile hunting safaris and egg harvesting.

Robbie Katter – State Member for Traeger

Robbie gets rough edge of the tongue (North West Star, August 28)
PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk is considering Katter’s Australian Party’s response to her demand that its state members denounce Senator Fraser Anning’s controversial maiden speech. During question time in state parliament on Wednesday, Ms Palaszczuk said she would be “reviewing” her government’s generous staffing deal with KAP.

Seven Townsville, Townsville, Seven Local News at 18:05
Robbie Katter says Qld LNP calls to cut his party’s funding through Parliamentary staff is disgusting during a time of drought. The LNP’s pressuring the Premier into reviewing the funding after Senator Fraser Anning said Australia should ban Muslims from settling in Australia.

ABC Western Queensland, Longreach, 06:30 News at 06:31
Member for Traeger Rob Katter says the State Government’s new point-of-consumption betting tax could prove detrimental to country racing. The 15% tax is scheduled to be introduced in October with the racing industry wanting to allocate the revenue to the three codes, however, the Government has yet to issue a decision. Katter states that he’s worried that fewer funds would be available for smaller scale country meetings.

Katter snaps back over narrow view (The Advertiser/Daily Telegraph, ONLINE, August 29)
THE  state leader of Katter’s Australian Party has hit back at Far Northern wildlife tourism operators, claiming they have a “narrow view” of crocodile management in the region.

It comes as one of the region’s most famous beaches was closed on Monday due to the presence of a 3-4m salt­water crocodile.

The Cairns Post reported on Saturday that several tour operators and conservationists had made submissions to the parliamentary inquiry into KAP’s Safer Waterways Bill 2018.

Some said the controversial law would threaten businesses and give people a false sense of security around crocs.Under the proposed laws, crocodile culling would be allowed for local indigenous rangers or people licensed by them, including big-game-style safaris.

There would also be egg management and animal transfer programs and a Cairns-based crocodile authority.

Traeger MP Robbie Katter, whose party held hearings into the Bill in Townsville yesterday, said he was disappointed to read some of the recent, narrow views by some tour operators regarding croc numbers in Queensland.

“People are entitled to their opinion, but it’s a shame some people think it is an over-reaction,” he said.

“While I congratulate people for taking the time to put in a public submission on the KAP Safer Waterways Bill, many people don’t seem to grasp the scope of the issue and how it is affecting the everyday lives of North Queenslanders.”

He said some surf clubs in the Far North were reporting membership decreases of 20 per cent as a direct result of fear of croc attacks.

Port Douglas’ Four Mile Beach was closed for four hours on Monday after a 3-4m crocodile was spotted swimming offshore by surf life savers.

Surf Life Saving Queensland regional manager Rob Davidson, who spoke at the KAP inquiry in Cairns at the same time the reptile was sighted, said the croc was reportedly headed south.

“This is a reminder that crocodiles are in the water and they are a serious concern in northern Queensland,” he said.

ABC North West Qld, Mt Isa/Longreach Breakfast at 09:06
Pre-recorded interview with Member for Traeger Rob Katter. Katter expresses concerns about future support for country racing after the Qld Government introduced a 15% consumption tax on gambling. The tax, which will be implemented from October, is expected to raise about $70 million in the first year. The distribution of the revenue will be discussed by the Qld Government with the racing industry and other groups.

Country racing suffers new tax (North West Star, August 30)
KAP State Leader and member for Traeger Robbie Katter has called for the Labor Government to deliver some of the $70 million gained from the Point of Consumption ‘Tax to ensure the survival of country racing. “Country racing isn’t a money making industry but that doesn’t make it any less crucial to the social fabric of the bush,” Mr Katter said.

ABC North Queensland, Townsville, Mornings at 09:25
Interview with Robbie Katter, Member for Traeger. Hession discusses the State Parliamentary inquiry in Townsville on crocodile management. Some say the crocodile issue is not a big deal after all. Katter says he respects the different viewpoints of the people, but he raises the need for safer waterways. He says the Government has failed to keep the people safe, saying that their solution to educate people on crocodile management is not a good thing to make them safe.

4CA AM, Cairns, John Mackenzie at 09:50
Interview with State Leader for Traeger Robbie Katter. Mackenzie reads a story in the Courier Mail about ignoring the increasing crocodile sightings in North Qld is not fair on locals who fear for their safety, say supporters of a bill to reduce the reptile population. The committee last night heard from a range of stakeholders on the Safer Waterways Bill introduced to the Parliamentary by KAP. He furtherly reads State leader Katter told the committee that the increased number of crocodiles in north Queensland was a call for serious concern among many locals saying everyone loves jumping to conclusion and labelling this as advocating a big shooting style cull, which is terribly unfair and gets in the road of having a proper discussion.

Shane Knuth – State Member for Hill

Dametto and Knuth stand by comments (Innisfail Advocate, August 25)
HINCHINBROOK MP Nick Dametto is standing by Katter Australian Party Senator Fraser Anning’s maiden speech calling for a “final solution” on immigration through the return of the White Australia Policy. Mr Anning called for a ban on Muslim immigration and a preference for migrants with European Christian backgrounds.

Seven Cairns, Cairns, Seven Local News at 18:03
A crocodile cull’s being debated at a hearing in Cairns as part of a proposed croc management bill for Qld. The Katter’s Australian Party has put forward a Safer Waterways bill to prevent croc attacks in urban areas. Shane Knuth, Member for Hill, says an authority should be established in Cairns to manage croc numbers in North Qld.

4CA AM, Cairns, John Mackenzie at 10:13
Interview with Shane Knuth, Member for Hill. MacKenzie discusses the Cairns Post article on the Safer Waterways Bill, that its labelled ‘insane’ by Far Northern MP Warren Entsch. Entsch says the ‘business as usual’ approach to the management of crocodiles was going to be a disaster and there needed to be an acknowledgement of ‘a major issue of proliferation of crocodiles in the region.’ Knuth says the bill is designed to make Qld waterways ‘safer.’

ABC North Queensland, Townsville, Breakfast at 08:48
Interview with Member for Hill Shane Knuth from Katter’s Australian Party about the Safer Waterways Bill. Knuth says the issues Tim Manders mentioned about indiscriminate killings of crocodiles are already on the bill. He says there is the Queensland Crocodile Authority that deals with all the issues that are raised regarding crocodiles. He notes they can revoke a permit, report how many crocodiles are caught, issue permits to remove crocodiles and approve people to remove crocodiles.

Explained Safer Waterways Bill (Daily Mercury, August 30)
THE Safer Waterways Bill was introduced to Queensland Parliament by Katter’s Australia Party Shane Knuth on March 21, 2018, in a bid to deal with increasing crocodile numbers in north Queensland and the reptiles spread south.

ABC Far North, Cairns, Breakfast at 08:38
Interview with Shane Knuth, Member for Hill and Former Member for Dalrymple. Shorey mentions that back in 2012, the same circumstances unfolded in Jamie Creek. Knuth says the most recent contamination is a very unfortunate event for the community and the irrigators, who use the creek as a water source for their crops. He mentions that he saw the damaged that was done during the 2012 Baal Gammon leak on the Walsh River, which is the main supplier of ware for the Dunballa water irrigation scheme

Nick Dametto – State Member for Hinchinbrook

Dametto and Knuth stand by comments (Innisfail Advocate, August 25)
HINCHINBROOK MP Nick Dametto is standing by Katter Australian Party Senator Fraser Anning’s maiden speech calling for a “final solution” on immigration through the return of the White Australia Policy. Mr Anning called for a ban on Muslim immigration and a preference for migrants with European Christian backgrounds.

MP leads push for secession (Townsville Bulletin, August 28)
SUPPORTERS of a separate North Queensland state will meet in Townsville tonight to discuss the path to holding a referendum on the radical plan. Katter’s Australia Party Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said he believed a public vote would definitively show there was a strong appetite in the North to break away from the southeast corner.

Talks on a new state continue (Herbert River Express, August 29)
SUPPORTERS of a North Queensland state met in Townsville yesterday to discuss a possible referendum. Katter’s Australia Party Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto believed a public vote would show a strong appetite in the north to break away The MP is due to present his party’s plan for a new state at the Cutheringa Bowls Club today.

Just doing my job, says Dametto (Herbert River Express, August 29)
HINCHINBROOK MP Nick Dametto says nothing will stop him from fighting for North Queensland in parliament. The Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) MP said it had been “business as usual” this month as he attends four regional hearings for the inquiry into wage theft in Queensland this week as part of the Education, Employment and Small Business Committee.

This week Nick also;

• Called for a referendum on North Queensland becoming a separate state in Tuesday’s Townsville Bulletin
• Spoke out against the Ingham to Cardwell bypass proposal and also highlighted his important parliamentary work in Wednesday’s Herbert River Express

Rob Loughnan – KAP Candidate for Warrego

Quit attacking KAP AS the Katter Australian Party candidate for and the runner-up in last year’s Warrego election, I want to respond to some of the current hysterical commentary both about that result and about the KAP. To the Warrego election first. I directed my first and second preferences to the independent candidates and placed the Greens last. I left it to individual voters to

decide where they would place the LNP and Labor candidates, fourth or fifth, and conveyed that clearly on a two-sided how-to-vote card. That hasn’t stopped the successful LNP candidate, Ann Leahy, from claiming that I preferenced Labor and the Greens. Incidentally, Ms Leahy topped the Greens preference count, outperforming even Labor in that department. Since the 2017 election, Ms Leahy has become

increasingly preoccupied with attacking the KAP and in particular Queensland’s most successful regional MP, Robbie Katter. The emergence of a genuine rural political party with members willing to put their electorate first has obviously rattled some cages in Brisbane. Last week in question time she became the first politician in the State Parliament to condemn Queensland KAP Senator Fraser Anning.

In the ultimate display of political correctness, she described his speech as hateful and disgraceful and even sidestepped the term ‘maiden speech’. She demanded the Premier withdraw electorate office resources previously committed to the KAP in Queensland, an action the Premier is now considering. She is clearly comfortable with the prospect of even less resources and staff in our country electorates. — Rob Loughnan