BOB Katter’s Australian Party could have the federal seat of Mallee in its sights.
Only months after it registered, the fledgling party will face its first test at the March 24 Queensland state election, where it is so far fielding 60 candidates.
But founder and rebel federal MP Bob Katter says he is hopeful of spreading the party’s tentacles into the next federal election.
With the party’s emphasis on agricultural issues, Mallee – held by the Nationals’ John Forrest – is viewed as an obvious target should the party consider a tilt at federal politics.
A political source yesterday said party representatives had made low-key inquiries a few months ago about the possibility of standing a candidate in Mallee.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the party was still keen,” the source told Sunraysia Daily.
“They would be running each way and the other, especially if they do as well as expected in Queensland.”
Mr Katter was a visitor to Mildura during last year’s state election, helping to launch the campaign of independent candidate Glenn Milne.
But Cr Milne, a former Mildura mayor and the city’s current deputy mayor, yesterday said he had not been approached by anyone in the Katter camp as a potential candidate.
He doubted whether the party would make the transition to the federal arena.
“Queensland is where his following, force and energy is,” Cr Milne said.
“That said he is one of the few federal politicians saying anything that makes sense these days on a lot of issues.
“But I haven’t been approached by him or anyone involved with his party.”
Mr Katter said the Queensland poll – where the Australian Party has been branded a “wildcard” – would be the litmus test for his party.
“If we are successful (in the state election) we will be taking federal seats, there’s no question about that,” he said.
“If we do, it will build us the base in going into the federal arena ...”.
Premier Anna Bligh said Katter’s Australian Party was the wildcard in the election, with some polling putting its vote as high as 23 or 24 per cent in some seats.
“That’s a very, very significant slice of the pie,” she said.
Nationals Member for Mallee Mr Forrest said he welcomed a potential challenge from the Australian Party as he did all others.
“We live in a democracy - he and his party is welcome to challenge,” Mr Forrest said.
“Anyone can have a go.
“I said it in my Australia Day speech (at Hopetoun), anyone can have a go in a democracy like ours.”
Mr Forrest said he did not support Mr Katter’s defection from the then National Party in 2001 after a fallout over economic and social issues.
After he quit the party, Mr Katter subsequently retained his Queensland seat of Kennedy in four elections (2001,04, 07 and 10), each time securing almost 70 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
“He should have run as an independent from the start,” Mr Forrest said.
“It’s not an honourable thing turning your back on the Nats the way he did.”
Elected to Federal Parliament in the same year as Mr Katter in 1993, Mr Forrest has since won re-election on six occasions.
This article appeared in Saturday’s Sunraysia Daily 28/01/2012.
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