Federal MPs have lashed colleague Bob Katter after his threatening confrontation with a TV journalist who asked him about his family background.
The 80-year-old maverick Queensland MP fronted up to Nine journalist Josh Bavas with a raised fist on Thursday after being asked at a press conference about his family’s Lebanese history.
Katter, the member for Kennedy, had been speaking and throwing his support behind anti-migration rallies planned across Australia on Sunday.
But Katter spat the dummy when Bavas asked him about his own heritage.
“Don’t say that, because that irritates me, and I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that,” he yelled, cutting Bavas off.
“I am Australian. My family have been here since the dawn of time.”
Katter then approached Bavas, raising his fist in the journalists’ face, when he tried to ask a follow-up question.
Katter’s grandfather Carl Robert Katter immigrated from Lebanon to Australia in 1898.
On Friday, federal Health Minister Mark Butler said Katter was known for his quirky character but his behaviour crossed the line.
“That is completely unacceptable,” he told Sunrise.
“The threat itself is unacceptable and then the physical approach, frankly, to the journalist is just unacceptable in this day and age particularly from a political leader.”
The Nine Network has flung its support behind Bavas, demanding a public apology from Katter.
“His baseless and offensive accusation of racism is an irresponsible attempt to shut down a legitimate line of questioning,” Nine Network’s Fiona Dear said.
Liberal senator Jane Hume said there should be consequences for Katter’s actions.
“You should always be able to feel safe and respected at work, journalists and politicians, the idea of threatening violence is entirely unacceptable. There must be consequences,” she told Sunrise.
“Can you imagine if either Mark or I had done this, what the consequences would be?”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in, telling Nine’s Today show he liked Katter but the independent MP should have a look at himself and recognise such behaviour was not expected of any Australian or person who holds public office.
Katter is an independent for Katter’s Australian Party. He is also federal parliament’s longest-serving MP, after first winning his seat in 1993.
-AAP
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