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Bob Katter says he will back Coalition in event of a hung parliament – politics live Bob Katter says he will back Coalition in event of a hung parliament – politics live
(35 minutes later)
5.34am BST
05:34
Bob Katter is asked about Pauline Hanson “who wants to ban Islam”.
Katter unplugged:
Let’s deracialise the issue. The government has been bringing 620,000 people into Australia each year. The economy has only got 200,000 jobs and over 200,000 school leavers. I mean is this madness? The whole country’s economy must collapse. I mean clearly, 500,000 people are forced on to the dole each year as a result of the government bringing 620,000 people into the country. As far as I’m concerned, it’s in line with the job creation which will be down to 100,000 and if you go to persecuted minority groups, and I will be very specific, the Christians in the Middle East, the Jews in the Middle East and other parts of the world and the Sikhs in India, they will fill your 100,000.
Updated
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5.19am BST5.19am BST
05:1905:19
Bob Katter said he will be getting his demands in writing soon.Bob Katter said he will be getting his demands in writing soon.
We will be getting things in writing in due course. I can assure you. We will be.We will be getting things in writing in due course. I can assure you. We will be.
As to what the demands are, this is not an entirely coherent press conference. He wants government money in the Galilee rail project (which is related to the Carmichael mine). There is some talk of ethanol. There is the Hell’s Gate dam project. But I am struggling to understand whether this was definitely in the agreement. Bear with me, the afternoon is moving at a pace.As to what the demands are, this is not an entirely coherent press conference. He wants government money in the Galilee rail project (which is related to the Carmichael mine). There is some talk of ethanol. There is the Hell’s Gate dam project. But I am struggling to understand whether this was definitely in the agreement. Bear with me, the afternoon is moving at a pace.
5.15am BST5.15am BST
05:1505:15
Hands off the unions says Bob KatterHands off the unions says Bob Katter
We have said to him that we are comfortable that his policies are good in these areas, right. We are comfortable that we’re not going to go on some union bashing crusade. No disrespect to Tony Abbott, I like Tony personally and particularly Peta Credlin, I have great admiration for. They were on a union bashing exercise and I made it clear there will be bashing come from me as well. We have a close relationship with unions and we don’t apologise to anyone for that. We have said to him that we are comfortable that his policies are good in these areas, right. We are comfortable that we’re not going to go on some union-bashing crusade. No disrespect to Tony Abbott, I like Tony personally and particularly Peta Credlin, I have great admiration for. They were on a union-bashing exercise and I made it clear there will be bashing come from me as well. We have a close relationship with unions and we don’t apologise to anyone for that.
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5.10am BST5.10am BST
05:1005:10
Even on a bare majority, don't go to the bathroomEven on a bare majority, don't go to the bathroom
Bob Katter wants to nail the backpacker tax. He makes the point that Julia Gillard’s minority government was quite stable, passed a lot of legislation. But he said they lost him when Labor banned live export. Bob Katter wants to nail the backpacker tax. He makes the point that Julia Gillard’s minority government was quite stable, passed a lot of legislation. But he said they lost him when Labor banned live exports.
Katter also suggested that even if the Coalition gets a bare majority of 76, they still need him.Katter also suggested that even if the Coalition gets a bare majority of 76, they still need him.
You try running a government with one vote up your sleeve. Don’t have your mother die because you can’t go to the funeral. Don’t go to the bathroom. You go to the party rooma nd said I missed that vote because I had to go to the bathroom, I don’t think that will fly. I mean, you take the risk of what happened to Julia Gillard. You are flying on a couple of votes, even a little nobody like me can knock you out of the ball game. You try running a government with one vote up your sleeve. Don’t have your mother die because you can’t go to the funeral. Don’t go to the bathroom. You go to the party room and said I missed that vote because I had to go to the bathroom, I don’t think that will fly. I mean, you take the risk of what happened to Julia Gillard. You are flying on a couple of votes, even a little nobody like me can knock you out of the ball game.
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5.04am BST5.04am BST
05:0405:04
Katter will be "acting with agression" to stop further foreign ownership Katter will be "acting with aggression" to stop further foreign ownership
Queensland independent Bob Katter will use his position to stop further foreign ownership.Queensland independent Bob Katter will use his position to stop further foreign ownership.
We will be acting with aggression to stop further ownership of the assets of Australia. If they want to bring development capital in - but that is not what is happening. The capital that is coming now is buying assets that we as a people in Australia have created and they are buying them, quite frankly, at bargain basement prices and because they have got the financial power and muscle to buy them. We will be acting with aggression to stop further ownership of the assets of Australia. If they want to bring development capital in – but that is not what is happening. The capital that is coming now is buying assets that we as a people in Australia have created and they are buying them, quite frankly, at bargain-basement prices and because they have got the financial power and muscle to buy them.
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5.01am BST5.01am BST
05:0105:01
Katter: If I don't give confidence, we would be back to the pollsKatter: If I don't give confidence, we would be back to the polls
There will be a vote of confidence and supply. If I do not give that, then we have a situation in Australia, assuming that Andrew Wilkie and the Member for Indi are as good as their words, they said they are going to stay neutral. That being the case, then it’s just, as far as I can see, not humanly possible for the Labor Party to form government.There will be a vote of confidence and supply. If I do not give that, then we have a situation in Australia, assuming that Andrew Wilkie and the Member for Indi are as good as their words, they said they are going to stay neutral. That being the case, then it’s just, as far as I can see, not humanly possible for the Labor Party to form government.
So unless I give this undertaking, then I think we have a very bad situation in Australia which in all probability the government would be forced back to the people.So unless I give this undertaking, then I think we have a very bad situation in Australia which in all probability the government would be forced back to the people.
4.59am BST4.59am BST
04:5904:59
Bob Katter, did Turnbull listen to you, do you think?Bob Katter, did Turnbull listen to you, do you think?
Well, I think when you are on 74 seats and you need 76, I thought he was listening very closely.Well, I think when you are on 74 seats and you need 76, I thought he was listening very closely.
4.56am BST4.56am BST
04:5604:56
Malcolm, you get confidence and supply, cheers Bob KatterMalcolm, you get confidence and supply, cheers Bob Katter
Bob Katter has just emerged from his meeting with the prime minister in Brisbane saying he has been advised by Malcolm Turnbull that Labor will not be able to form a government.Bob Katter has just emerged from his meeting with the prime minister in Brisbane saying he has been advised by Malcolm Turnbull that Labor will not be able to form a government.
On that basis, Katter says he will guarantee the Coalition confidence and supply. He doesn’t sound hugely happy about it.On that basis, Katter says he will guarantee the Coalition confidence and supply. He doesn’t sound hugely happy about it.
He says he’s a proud union man.He says he’s a proud union man.
Bob Katter:Bob Katter:
If there is the slightest hint of union bashing I assure you all bets are off.If there is the slightest hint of union bashing I assure you all bets are off.
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4.47am BST4.47am BST
04:4704:47
Paul KarpPaul Karp
Meanwhile in the count, Paul Karp reports:Meanwhile in the count, Paul Karp reports:
Labor’s lead in Hindmarsh has been whittled down to just eight votes.On Thursday morning Labor had a lead of 151 in Hindmarsh. The Coalition needs to win Hindmarsh and one more of Cowan, Capricornia, Flynn and Herbert to win majority government.Labor’s lead in Hindmarsh has been whittled down to just eight votes.On Thursday morning Labor had a lead of 151 in Hindmarsh. The Coalition needs to win Hindmarsh and one more of Cowan, Capricornia, Flynn and Herbert to win majority government.
Labor’s candidate in Hindmarsh, Steve Georganas, told the ABC: “I think we may go down a little bit more while we count postals and then turning it around with the absentees.”Labor’s candidate in Hindmarsh, Steve Georganas, told the ABC: “I think we may go down a little bit more while we count postals and then turning it around with the absentees.”
He estimated there were 5,000 absentee votes and about 2,500 postal votes yet to be counted. “But look, it’s on a knife edge and whoever wins it will win it by a handful of votes.”He estimated there were 5,000 absentee votes and about 2,500 postal votes yet to be counted. “But look, it’s on a knife edge and whoever wins it will win it by a handful of votes.”
4.41am BST4.41am BST
04:4104:41
John Howard to journalists: don't put Hanson in a special corner, she will play off thatJohn Howard to journalists: don't put Hanson in a special corner, she will play off that
Howard:Howard:
Everybody’s got to accept that to sort of put her in a special corner is stupid and all it does is enhance her position. I watched this debate back in 1998 and1999 and the more she was attacked, the more popular she became because those attacks enhanced her Australian battler image and she plays off that. I think you all know that and you should understand that when, if I may say so, with great respect, when you write about her.Everybody’s got to accept that to sort of put her in a special corner is stupid and all it does is enhance her position. I watched this debate back in 1998 and1999 and the more she was attacked, the more popular she became because those attacks enhanced her Australian battler image and she plays off that. I think you all know that and you should understand that when, if I may say so, with great respect, when you write about her.
4.36am BST
04:36
John Howard: no good making Hanson a particularly scorned species
Howard makes the point that anyone who believes in freedom of religion cannot make distinctions between churches mosques or synagogues. And that he completely disagrees with Pauline Hanson’s policy of a royal commission into Islam. But.
Let’s not resort to all of these isolating remarks. That gets nowhere but that includes, may I say, Pauline Hanson is entitled to the same respect. People have voted for her and there’s no good saying she’s a particularly scorned species. That doesn’t achieve anything. You have to recognise that people voted for her.
4.32am BST
04:32
John Howard: disagree with Hanson but don't isolate her
Question to John Howard: Do you agree with Mr Turnbull that Pauline Hanson is not a welcome presence? What is your response to the fact that she looks like she is going to have an equal bloc in the Senate to Nick Xenophon?
Howard says anyone who is elected should be respected for that. Given Howard was the prime minister the first time Hanson appeared, he disagreed with many of her views but said it was wrong to brand her supporters as racist.
I don’t agree with some of her views on foreign investment. I didn’t agree with her when she said we were being flooded by Asians because we weren’t, and I didn’t agree with her when she said that Aboriginal people weren’t amongst the most disadvantaged in our community because those things were manifestly wrong but I did understand that she was articulating the concerns of people who felt left out and I was very critical of people who branded everybody who supported her as a racist because that is nonsense.
We are not a racist country and I wish people would stop reaching for that adjective whenever they want to isolate somebody who they don’t agree with. We’ll get nowhere doing that, absolutely nowhere.
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4.26am BST
04:26
Howard to Cory Bernardi, stay in and fight
John Howard:
If you’re a bit worried about the party, stay in and fight. Don’t start talking about separate movements. Stay in, fight and argue your case because the Liberal party is – as I’ve always said – a combination of small L liberals and conservatives. Nothing wrong with that, I’m a combination of small L liberalism and conservatism, I think you’d know from the stances I took on various issues as I had a very liberal, even economic approach, but a conservative approach and retain a conservative approach on social issues and foreign affairs and I don’t apologise for that and never will. I say to people who feel this or that kidney of the party is being ignored, you stay in and fight, you don’t start wandering off the reservation.
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4.23am BST
04:23
Howard says he did not write any memos to George W Bush similar to the Blair memos – (That he was with the US, “whatever”).
Asked if he would apologise to families, Howard said:
Well, as I understand it, there were no battle deaths in Iraq but obviously I am sorry for anybody – for the wounds or injuries that anybody suffered. That applies no matter whether a military conflict is a matter of controversy or not but if you’re saying to me do I apologise for the decision that I took, the core decision? Well, I defend that decision. Of course I defend it. I don’t retreat from it. I don’t believe, based on the information available to me, that it was the wrong decision. I really don’t.
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4.20am BST
04:20
Howard rejects Chilcot’s assessment that if the diplomatic efforts continued, the French and Russians would have agreed.
The idea that is implicit in what Chilcot said, if you just kept going eventually the French and the Russians would agree. They weren’t going to agree. That is why at the time I said the Labor party had decided to outsource our foreign policy to the French and the Russians.
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4.19am BST
04:19
Someone follows up, saying you put monetary policy in the hands of the Reserve Bank. Why not the power to go to war?
You want to hand everything over to unelected bodies? That’s why the British voted to leave the European Union.
4.17am BST
04:17
John Howard does not agree the power to go to war should be taken out of the hands of the executive and given to the parliament (as the Greens propose).
4.16am BST
04:16
Howard: more reinforcement would have improved Middle East instability
John Howard on Islamic State:
Isis, to a large extent, came out of the confluence of forces coming out of Syria, joining with forces in Iraq and I might remind you that after the successful surge overseen by General David Petraeus which the Bush administration undertook, Iraq had entered a period of relative stability and had also entered a period where nationwide elections were carried out despite intimidatory threats of many. There is a view which I think has a lot of merit that if the process or the aftermath of the surge had been reinforced by a greater continuing western particularly American presence, the situation would have been lot more stable.
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4.13am BST
04:13
John Howard does not share the view that Islamic state grew out of the Iraq invasion.
I don’t share the view that the terrible conflict in the Middle East is the direct consequence of the operation in March of 2003. I don’t share that view.
4.12am BST
04:12
John Howard: there was no lie, there were errors of intelligence
Howard:
In the years that have gone by there’s been this constant claim that we went to war based on a lie. There was no lie. There were errors in intelligence but there was no lie and can I also make the observation that the Chilcot report imposes a standard of beyond doubt. Can I offer the view that when you’re dealing with intelligence it’s very, very hard to find a situation where advice is beyond doubt. Sometimes if you wait for advice that is beyond doubt you can end up with very disastrous consequences.
Updated
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