General News
10 July, 2024
I'm not too old: Bob Katter confirms he'll seek re-election
The Member for Kennedy says he still has plenty of fight left in him.
Bob Katter will seek re-election.
With wild rumours swirling this week about a federal election as early as next month, Mr Katter confirmed to North West Weekly that he plans to contest his 12th campaign for Kennedy.
However, he does not believe the rumours of a pending election.
“I have always believed you’ve got three years between elections and you’ve got to make use of all that time,” Mr Katter said.
“You’ve only got to look at the history of former prime ministers that have called early elections – it doesn’t end too well.
“Anthony (Albanese) is a very wily and cunning politician and I think he understands history.”
The veteran MP has rarely been out of the headlines in recent weeks following his retelling of his infamous role throwing eggs at The Beatles, where he claimed to Channel 9 that he was sitting on the shoulders of a young Peter Beattie at the time, as well as maintaining his online viral status after explaining to Tik-Tokers, in an apparent random street interview, his work as a labourer at Mount Isa Mines prior to venturing into politics.
Mr Katter was again in the headlines in recent days when it was announced he would be given the rare honour of having a one-off portrait commissioned to commemorate his combined 50 years of political service at the state and federal levels.
The portrait will also mark his position as “Father of the House,” meaning he is the longest serving current member of the House of Representatives, after first being elected in 1993.
The decision was made following the first in-person meeting in five decades of the little-known Historic Memorials Committee, which is chaired by the PM.
“In this great democratic institution, Bob is an institution in his own right,” Mr Albanese said.
“It’s hard to imagine this place without him and commissioning his portrait is a way to ensure he will always be a visible and colourful part of Australia’s parliament.
“Bob inspires great affection but commissioning this portrait is, above all, an act of respect.”
Yet despite the recognition from his peers, Mr Katter said he hoped the portrait would celebrate the contribution of the “ordinary bloke” in Australian society.
“The portrait makes me feel very uncomfortable actually. I am no shrinking violet as everyone knows but you don’t get into politics for these types of things,” he said on Monday.
Despite a four-generation political dynasty across North West local, state and federal politics, Mr Katter said his family had always tried to remain humble about their place in the region’s history and had mostly shunned attempts to commemorate milestones or have landmarks named after them.
“The only time we agreed was the (Carl Katter) bridge in Cloncurry – and that’s because it was too funny not to agree,” he said.
“My grandfather, who was on the Cloncurry Shire for as long as I was alive, was a teetotaller but apparently on this night he decided to get very drunk for some reason and he crashed into the bridge – totally destroying it – so when they built the new bridge my father agreed that is was only fair to name it after grandfather Carl.”
Mr Katter, who will turn 80 next year, said he was not phased by the discussion about ageing politicians that is dominating election coverage in the United States.
“Clive Palmer said I was too old for the job so I challenged him to a running race up the footsteps and hillside of parliament house, all the way to the flagpole at the very top of the building,” Mr Katter said.
“Well I never heard back from Clive so I must be a force to be reckoned with. I am at the height of my intellectual powers. I still play competitive touch footy. I feel fit and healthy.”
“I am not about to roll up my swag and put my gun in its holster and walk off into the sunset yet. I haven’t earned the right to walk off the battlefield.”