Robert Bellarmine Carl Katter is an Australian politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1993. He was previously active in Queensland state politics from 1974 to 1992. Katter was a member of the National Party until 2001, when he left to sit as an independent. He formed his own party, Katter's Australian Party, in 2011.
Katter was born in Cloncurry, Queensland. His father, Bob Katter Sr., was also a politician. Katter was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly at the 1974 state election, representing the seat of Flinders. He was elevated to cabinet in 1983, under Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and was a government minister until the National Party's defeat at the 1989 state election.
Katter left state politics in 1992, and the following year was elected to federal parliament standing in the Division of Kennedy . He resigned from the National Party in the lead-up to the 2001 federal election, and has since been re-elected four more times as an independent and another four times for his own party. Katter is known for his social conservatism. His son, Robbie Katter, is a state MP in Queensland, the third generation of the family to be a member of parliament.
Wikipedia
“Maybe I know nothing about politics, but if this is getting you votes, I am a Martian astronaut!”
Source: Excerpt from speech in the House of Representatives https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22chamber%2Fhansardr%2Fb15942d6-e86a-4a01-8094-d46337096349%2F0163%22?oneclick=true (Wednesday, 21 October 2015)
Source: Media Statement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfl4ap4jtPQ?oneclick=true (Thursday, 13 February 2020)
Source: Media Briefing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE2Ned5Tgwg?oneclick=true (Thursday, 13 February 2020)
