Ahh yes, dogged old Bob Katter!

From Wikipedia…..

In 1996, Katter supported his National Party colleague Bob Burgess's comments which described Australian citizenship ceremonies as "dewogging". Katter described critics of Burgess as "little slanty-eyed idealogues who persecute ordinary average Australians."[3] 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".[3] Pauline Hanson later said that Katter would be welcome to join her One Nation party if he wanted to leave the Coalition.[4]

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".[5]

He is a climate change sceptic and has been an opponent against enacting legislations 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 stating that "Are you telling me seriously that the world is going to warm because there's 400 parts per million of CO2 up there?" [6]

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And now he’s in a pivotal position of power. Wow!! Interesting times ahead indeed!

geoffreykelley,

Why do lefties use pseudonyms?
Firstly Hasbeen is so right he makes Genghis Khan look like Karl Marx.

Secondly
My personal history is a good example why.

My wife, daughter were threatened by a right voting drone.
My two sons and I were threatened with physical violence by a builder and his subbies because he had told them that I was threatening their jobs. The fact that I was just one public face of a very large group of ratepayers didn't sink in.
BTW the builder scarpered interstate with their payments and declared his shelf co bankrupt.
PS he is in business in Darwin.

My property and that of my sons were damaged by other dissenting yobs.
My wife's private medical file was used to pressure me.

The house was egged , obscenities were painted on the road outside my house.
my then 80 yo mum got late night phone threats about me.

What had I done You ask? I was involved in local (council) politics, writing to the paper under my name etc.
Did I mention a bogus law suit designed to shut me up.

We won the argument the * six were thrown out but the damage they did is with us to day.

Apart from that, what is said is the issue not the name.

BTW I not a lefty in the sense of OLO .I hold views from both sides (sic)
Does that answer your question?

PatTheBogan

It's not that I don't like Bob Katter (I neither know him or care) nor am I saying he has low IQ. I simply don't like the way he uses it to appeal to the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR. He fans prejudices that can't be proven not to mention he deprives his electors from the motivation to think about anything but themselves. he fosters the the Joh mentality "don't you worry about that (I'm here to think for you) syndrome.

I distrust his avowed anti intellectualism as the Gate keeper's standards for me and mine.....I didn't and wouldn't vote for him.

This is politics and all participants are politicians regardless or of their party affiliation or so called independence.

Whilst I follow, enjoy and agree with most of your posts Foxy, I think this time your indulging in wishful thinking.
Politics is a numbers game. And thats it.

The taking over of the Liberal party, by it's neo-conservative hillbilly faction since
Abbott, fits neatly philosophically, and with the constituency of the ex National Party Independence Group.

Together they have already managed to block climate change policy and now they can
do so with the N.B.N. renewable power action etc. Interesting times ahead be stuffed.
All three Independent's represent mining or coal interests.

The proof of the pudding on this, will be 76 seats. Should the Coalition win 73,
say hello to an Abbott Gov't.

And on that subject; how ironic it would be, should the person least wanted,
by the Australian people to be PM, (Tony Abbott) become head of a new hillbilly
alliance Govt.

Abbott gained 38 % preferred PM rating in a 2 horse race, where the opponent
(apparently) failed to impress either. If you asked the question " would you have
preferred if Tony Abbott (and for that matter, his plans for our future) were not a candidate for PM ?

Would you have got 20-25% approval for Tony. I think optimistically.

In fact, if it wasn't for Tony Abbott being leader, and a whole lot of ineptitude
on the part of the Govt's campaign and tenure, the election would have been
a Coalition landslide.

Independence, shm-independence, the proof will be in the pudding.
And politicians will be politicians.

In addition the large Green vote was drift from traditional Labor support.
Naturally, preferences are mainly Labor, this was not due to "the preference deal"
but due to the fact.

The Govt assisted the green drift in the minds of many traditional Labor
supporters by not standing by climate change policy, not standing by the
mining tax, not standing up for refugee's, among other issues of principal.

As a New England voter I am really pleased to see the outcome of the election, so long as all sides can remain civil (in the not very distant past that would have been a funny joke, but there is suddenly an air of politeness in the political arena!).

Tony Windsor's appearance on Q&A on Monday is the Tony that I know as my representative. He is a man that is very active throughout his electorate and gives all issues fair consideration. Even when I dont agree with his approach on a certain topic, I can be sure that he has given it fair and thorough examination.

I believe that the Independants that have been put under the microscope so far will do their best to ensure that stable government can ensure, but at the same time if the side that they choose to support the majority of the time tries to "pull a swifty", they will quickly set things straight. Windsor has stepped back from party politics for that very reason.

Katter may have a reputation as a loose cannon, but at least he says whats on his mind and doesnt try to create a false image for the camera's like most of our pollies - you get what you see. That said, I do believe that he will take a position of power responsibly.

These men do not risk being voted out if they side with Labor - they have enough trust from their people that they may drop a few votes, but will still show a landslide majority. Their electorate will TRUST them - something that most other pollies only fantasise about.

I am really looking forward to the days ahead.