'Don't open your mouth again!': Confrontational moment a furious Bob Katter blows up at a 'lily-pad leftie' journalist

  • MP unleashed in a press conference after being asked about an upcoming bill
  • The bill would recognise indigenous Australians specifically in the constitution 
  • The maverick member for Kennedy was asked if he would support bill in a vote
  • But in an explosive response Mr Katter labelled the reporter a 'city lily-pad leftie'
  • At Canberra press conference, he said question insulted 'us as a race of people' 

By Charlie Coë For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

Bob Katter has unleashed on a reporter who asked him during a press conference if he would vote for an enshrined indigenous voice in the Australian constitution. 

The maverick federal MP labelled the reporter a 'city lily-pad leftie' after she asked him whether he would vote yes on the bill - which would trigger a referendum on the issue by June next year.

It would recognise Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders specifically in the constitution, but Mr Katter became incensed when asked if he supported the bill.

Bob Katter has sensationally unleashed on a reporter who asked him about a bill enshrining Aboriginal rights in the constitution during a press conference (pictured during press conference)

Bob Katter has sensationally unleashed on a reporter who asked him about a bill enshrining Aboriginal rights in the constitution during a press conference (pictured during press conference)

The maverick federal MP labelled the reporter a 'city lily pad leftie' after she asked him whether he would vote yes on the bill

The maverick federal MP labelled the reporter a 'city lily pad leftie' after she asked him whether he would vote yes on the bill

'Don't lead me into your rubbish,' he said when pressed by AAP reporter Kathryn Bermingham on the issue during the press conference in Canberra. 'Don't you keep taking us on your flights of fancy - your city lilypad leftie mindset.'

'Don't lead me into your rubbish,' he said when pressed by AAP reporter Kathryn Bermingham on the issue during the press conference in Canberra. 'Don't you keep taking us on your flights of fancy - your city lilypad leftie mindset.'

'Don't lead me into your rubbish,' he said when pressed by AAP reporter Kathryn Bermingham on the issue during the press conference in Canberra.

'Don't you keep taking us on your flights of fancy - your city lilypad leftie mindset.

'I'm not going to answer your questions because they insult us as a race of people.'

Katter's rage continued when another reporter at the press conference attempted to defend the line of questioning.

'I'm not listening to the likes of you and that's because you are asking the most pejorative question and it absolutely represents the problem's that we've got,' he said.

He then loudly boomed 'I'm not answering it' when pressed for an answer to the original question.

Following the fiery press conference, the office of the MP for Kennedy in far north Queensland (Mr Katter pictured in 2019) issued a statement defending his explosive comments

Following the fiery press conference, the office of the MP for Kennedy in far north Queensland (Mr Katter pictured in 2019) issued a statement defending his explosive comments

'Don't open your mouth again or I'll get very angry and I'm angry enough now,' he added before moving on to the next question.

His comments came as parliament discussed the Closing the Gap report - which showed the country was on track to meet only two of seven targets aimed at reducing health, education and employment outcomes among Aboriginal children.

Following the fiery press conference, the office of the MP for Kennedy in far north Queensland issued a statement defending his explosive comments.

They said his behaviour 'should not be interpreted as anything other than passion'.     

BOB KATTER'S STATEMENT ON FIERY CANBERRA PRESS CONFERENCE 

These are my friends. These are my blokes I played football with and against.

These are the blokes I've mustered cattle with. These are the blokes I have worked in the mines with.

These are my people and I was their minister for the better part of a decade.

I had to get the most radical legislation out of what was supposed to be the most conservative government in history and it was a cakewalk. And it was so easy to do.

All you had to do was go out into the communities and ask what needed to be done! That was all you had to do and the government still won't do it.

Instead they are running around listening to people who aren't black fellas in every sense of the word – they might have a black fella grandfather, but they are not black fellas – and these people are telling them it 'might' be a good thing to do!

And it in actual fact might be good thing to do – but I don't know because I'm too busy trying to save my people from dying from malnutrition now, not what might happen in another decade!

 

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Extraordinary moment Bob Katter unleashes on reporter during a press conference

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