Bob Katter’s son defends his father as PM condemns journalist threat

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has condemned Bob Katter’s threatening of a journalist at a Brisbane press conference on Thursday, as Katter’s son backs in his father, saying journalists should expect aggression from the long-term MP in response to personal questions.

Albanese joined a cavalcade of MPs from across the political spectrum calling for Katter to apologise to Brisbane journalist Josh Bavas – the target of the outburst. Katter has refused to apologise, with his son saying it is difficult to understand how Bavas could have been intimidated by an 80-year-old.

“Bob Katter needs to have a look at that footage. Have a look at himself, frankly, and recognise that that’s not what we expect of any Australian, let alone someone who’s in public office,” Albanese told Channel Nine’s Today on Friday morning.

Katter and Queensland state party MPs were speaking in support of this weekend’s anti-migration March for Australia rallies during a Thursday press conference when Bavas, a Channel Nine reporter, asked Katter about his Lebanese heritage, triggering the response.

“My family have been in this country for 140 years … and if you say anything like that, I have on many occasions punched blokes in the mouth, right? And so I’m restraining myself today,” Katter yelled at the journalist, later approaching and holding his fist within inches of the reporter’s face.

Katter’s son, Queensland state MP Robbie Katter, said the family’s Lebanese heritage was a “deeply personal” topic that even he would not raise with his father.

“If someone offends you personally and really gets up your goat … I think we should be able to defend ourselves … you’re entitled to keep asking, but we’re entitled to react to sort of stop that from happening,” Robbie Katter said on Sky News.

“If you’re going to really press buttons on someone’s personal life, you should expect you’re going to get a reaction and, and, you know, [Katter’s] more aggressive than others, so you should expect that.”

Robbie Katter also said he found it difficult to understand how someone could be intimidated by “having an 80-year-old man in your face”.

Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned Katter on Friday, including Health Minister Mark Butler and Nationals leader David Littleproud.

“Watchers of Australian politics know that Bob Katter is a bit of a character, but … it’s just unacceptable in this day and age, particularly from a political leader,” Butler told Channel Seven’s Sunrise.

Littleproud called for an apology, but said he doubted it would be offered.

“I don’t think that’s becoming, it doesn’t matter who you are,” Littleproud told ABC Radio National.

“Bob wears the big hat, and it all seems all great, with bravado, but, I mean, I get questions that I don’t like to answer, but when you put yourself into the public sphere, and you get [the] privilege of sitting in that great building of parliament … you’ve got to live up to your responsibility.”

Bob Katter on Thursday refused to apologise to Bavas, instead demanding an apology from the reporter. In a statement posted to social media, Katter said, “to be seen as anything other than Australian is highly insulting to me”.

“I am a proud Australian. It shouldn’t matter when you got here, how you got here, or how long you’ve been here … If you live by our laws, our values, and fight for our way of life, you are an Australian,” he wrote.

The Behaviour Code for Australian Parliamentarians – which covers MPs on official business – prohibits bullying and harassment, which could mean Katter is sanctioned for the incident.

Parliamentarians are sworn to treat all those with whom they come into contact in the course of their work with “dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect”.

The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service did not comment on whether a complaint had been made about Katter’s conduct.

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