Katter holds firm against the One Nation tide

Bob Katter’s personal appeal may keep Kennedy out of One Nation’s grasp, but the future of the Katter dynasty is far less certain. Dr Benjamin T Jones and Dr William Wallace write.

THE POLITICAL BATTLE for Queensland’s outback north continues.

Kennedy, who often felt unrepresented by the major parties, held the federal seat with confidence. Bob Katter For more than twenty years his son, Robbie KatterHe represents much of the same area at the state level as the member for Traeger.

Kennedy is said to be a target seat at a time when One Nation is on the rise in the polls, but could Katter Country really be that seat? hansson Country?

Bob Katter has been a fixture in Australian politics at state and federal level for an incredible 52 years. He is the Father of the House, the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives, having held Kennedy’s seat since 1993. Originally a member of the National Party, he became an Independent, later founding Katter’s Australian Party (CONTAINER) in 2011.

Although he lacked the resources of the major parties, Katter’s colorful and outspoken attitude made him a cult figure from Townsville to Mount Isa. Kennedy is known as Katter Country as KAP seeks to expand beyond its northern base.

One Nation Rising is poised to present Katter with his toughest test since at least 2013, when he was nearly swept away by the anti-Independence wave that heralded the end of the era. gillard State. Big Redbridge poll One Nation in May 2026 I would win If an election were held today it would be between 46-59 seats, reducing the Coalition to 7-21 seats and completely destroying Queensland.

One Nation’s strongest support is in rural and regional Queensland, so it makes sense they would target Kennedy. According to the latest news Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census dataVoters in Kennedy are above the national average, with the most popular occupations being technicians and trade workers, and the number of voters with Certificate III qualifications (required for trade careers) significantly exceeding the national and state averages.

In the words of the voting team Demos Au:

‘Age + region + non-university education combined is the ‘sweet spot’ of the One Nation rise.’

Kennedy checks every one of these boxes.

Even so, One Nation may find Kennedy a tougher crack to crack than expected. A recent PhD thesis completed by William Wallace at Central Queensland University analyzes how KAP has built support since 2011.

The report found that much of Katter’s electoral success was due, as the journalist described it, to his ability to attract voters. Gabrielle Chan like ‘rusty’. These voters have traditionally voted for the National Party but have been disappointed by the party’s embrace of economic liberalism and perceived neglect of its regional and rural base. In Queensland this process was arguably accelerated by the formal merger of the National and Liberal parties.

Katter cannot easily be portrayed as a member of the political establishment or “one party.” For decades, he cultivated the image of a charismatic outsider and used the media to develop semi-personal connections with voters. Whether prancing around on crocodiles, arriving at Parliament dressed as the Grim Reaper, or delivering colorful speeches in his signature ten-gallon hat, Katter has constructed an anti-establishment image that will effectively insulate him from the backlash of voters in this age of populism.

Ironically, Katter’s longevity is also the source of his long-term vulnerability. He is currently 81 years old. Katter’s dominance of Kennedy was the product of his successful execution of a populist political strategy that relied on his personal charisma, direct connection with voters, and more than half a century of name recognition; This simply cannot be replicated by an organizational structure.

At some point, Katter will likely have to hand over the reins to Robbie, which will be a moment of vulnerability for the Katter dynasty. Robbie Katter pursued a quieter, more methodical political strategy that prioritized legal gains and de-emphasized the role of charisma and media spectacle. Robbie described himself as, in his own words, ‘more cautious and balanced’ than his flamboyant father.

Queensland KAP’s current travails serve as a cautionary tale. The party’s representation in parliament fell from four seats to two following the election. 2024 Queensland Election and a bruising byelection defeat in Hinchinbrook, where the party’s prospects were significantly damaged by One Nation’s decision to favor the LNP over the KAP.

The proposal that further exacerbates these struggles is Queensland Redistribution Commission eliminate shane knuthHill’s seat potentially reduces KAP to a single seat in the Queensland Parliament. Once promising signs of expansion have been reversed and Robbie Katter’s stated aim of maintaining the balance of power in Queensland now looks like a pipe dream.

There is good reason to believe that Bob Katter will remain safe in Kennedy even if One Nation sweeps across large regional and rural areas of Queensland at the next federal election. But it’s an open question whether Robbie Katter or some other anointed successor can keep Kennedy when the Father of the Dynasty finally dons his wide-brimmed Akubra hat. The Land of Katter may yet become the Land of Hanson.

Dr Benjamin T Jones is a historian, author and social commentator currently working as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History. Central Queensland University. You can follow Dr Jones on Twitter @DrBenjaminJones or on his blog, Thematic Thoughts.

Dr William Wallace is a research fellow in the School of Education and Arts at Central Queensland University with expertise in political populism, particularly Katter’s Australian Party.

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