Dear Is Mise,

Damn fine rifle that. I had the 'Smelly' version when I was 14 or there abouts. Not an ounce of plastic, really friendly with a fair kick for a teenager but comfortable on the shoulder and smooth to sight. The horizontal windage knob was hardly used but nice to have anyway.

One little trick to play on those who thought they knew a bit about the 303 was to pull the bolt out one notch which effectively locked the whole rifle. Couldn't move the bolt action nor pull the trigger. Use to shut a few of the blowhards up. I wonder which version Bob has?

Bob Katter is 70% all right, 20% blowhard and 10% bully. Now I don't mind when he bullies those in power and for that I wish him and his party well, but I have seen him turn on those who certainly didn't deserve that kind of treatment.

Still he adds colour to a pretty drab lot and I think the political landscape  would be poorer without him.

Well, it only has about 5 major policy areas, and opposing privatization, the nanny state and carbon taxes are pretty damned good starts (free fishing and anti-free trade I'm rather less enthusiastic about).

All in all, having enough of these members in parliament to hold the balance would get rid of a LOT of rot.

I have always liked Katter.
But he as mad as that Hatter.
Stands by those who vote for him and has highlighted often his old party never will.
He has something in common with Hanson,the high strident voice near breaking in to tears.
He can not do much with this party, it is a very old donkey running against a fine race horse named self interest.

I went to school with Bob Katter , though I have not seen him for many years . He is a decent , but misguided man . Like many people from rural areas , he believes that all merit resides north of Capricorn and that the bushies in their 4 WD s , with their firearms and bull terriers , are the real Australians . Everybody else does not matter , except to pay taxes to support the bushies. I have heard that , as Queensland Minister for Aboriginal Affairs , he did a reasonable job , despite being a member of the ultimate redneck Bjelke Petersen government . However , his proposed party will attract support only from those who think that Australia owes them a living , just for being what they are . It is One Nation reincarnated , with a bit of inspiration from the US Tea Party . It will gain a few votes , maybe even a few seats , make a lot of noise and then disappear after a few years .

As a pious inner city intellectual from the southern states, I would just like this opportunity to mock and stereotype Queenslanders and gun owners as red necks of low intelligence.

He does wear a hat after all. Now if he were wearing Muslim head dress, I would think criticism beyond the pale, and any stereotyping would be an unfair social exclusion, and I would be all for diversity and difference, and would show great respect. But there is no kudos to be gained by being consistent in this area, and lets face it, he's not one of us.

Houellebecq,
Haven't you detected that many more than the bushies are
fed up with the "inner city intellectuals from the southern states" ?