Bob Katter portrait unveiled in Canberra to salute 50 years of service to Queensland and federal parliaments
A special portrait of iconic MP Bob Katter has been unveiled to commemorate his 50 years of service to the Queensland and federal parliaments.
The portrait, drawn by award-winning artist David Darcy, will be painted in the Members’ Hall in Parliament House.
Anthony Albanese was on hand Thursday to unveil the large-scale painting, which shows Mr. Katter standing in a suit and holding his distinctive Akubra hat.
“Bob has become one of Australia’s best-known figures,” the Prime Minister said.
“There’s no doubt about that face or that voice… We’ve seen him dressed like a pig, we’ve seen him dressed like the Grim Reaper.
“There will be a corner of this Houses of Parliament that will forever be Bob Katter.”
Mr Albanese praised Mr Katter, who has represented Kennedy’s large constituency in north-west Queensland since 1993, as “a fair thinker” as he always was in his dealings with people across the political spectrum.
Mr. Katter stood next to Mr. Darcy in front of the giant painting and pulled down a cloth to reveal the artwork, which showed Mr. Katter in front of dark and striking stripes of red and brown.
“This is not a painting of one person, and I hope no one sees it that way,” Mr. Katter said.
“Making their country a land of opportunity is a recognition of people who feel very strongly about their country.”
Before federal parliament, Mr Katter was elected to the Queensland parliament for the seat of Flinders in 1974 and served there until moving into federal politics in 1993.
He was originally a member of the National Party, then left as an independent in 2001 and formed his own Katter Australia Party in 2011.
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In his first speech to parliament in May 1993, he paid tribute to his mother, before all the influences in his life.
“It is customary to show respect to those who are important and responsible for placing us here,” he said.
“The first person I want to apologize to is my mother, who raised me to be sincere, someone who loves her country deeply, who treats people less fortunate than herself, and who understands that man’s ultimate responsibility is always towards God.
“He lived in a galvanized iron house. He had a wood stove, a copper boiler, a refrigerator, and no hot water.”
