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Bob Katter

The Honourable
Bob Katter Jr.
MP
Bob Katter.jpg
Leader of Katter's Australian Party
Assumed office
5 June 2011
Deputy Ray Hopper
Robbie Katter
Preceded by Party established
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Kennedy
Assumed office
13 March 1993
Preceded by Rob Hulls
Minister for Mines and Energy
of Queensland
In office
25 September 1989 – 7 December 1989
Premier Russell Cooper
Preceded by Martin Tenni
Succeeded by Thomas Gilmore (Mines)
Tony McGrady (Energy)
Minister for Development and Community Services of Queensland
In office
7 November 1983 – 25 September 1989
Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Michael Ahern
Russell Cooper
Preceded by Thomas Gilmore
Succeeded by Martin Tenni
Member of the Queensland Parliament
for Flinders
In office
7 December 1974 – 25 August 1992
Preceded by Bill Longeran
Succeeded by Seat abolished
Personal details
Born Robert Carl Katter, Jr.
(1945-05-22) 22 May 1945 (age 71)
Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia
Political party Australian (since 2011)
Other political
affiliations
National (until 2001)
Independent (2001—2011)
Spouse(s) Susan O'Rourke (m. 1970)
Relations 6 siblings; including Carl
Alex Douglas (nephew)
Children 5; including Robbie
Parents Bob Katter, Sr.
Mabel Horn
Residence Charters Towers, Queensland
Education Mount Carmel College
St. Columba Catholic College
Alma mater University of Queensland
Occupation Union delegate
(Australian Workers' Union)
Mining executive
(Self-employed)
Profession Trade unionist
Businessman
Politician
Religion Roman Catholicism
Website www.bobkatter.com.au
Military service
Allegiance Commonweath of Australia
Service/branch Australian Army Reserve
Years of service 1964—1972
Rank Australian Army OF-1a.svg Second Lieutenant
Unit 49th Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment

Robert Carl "Bob" Katter, Jr. (born 22 May 1945) is an Australian federal politician, a member of the Australian House of Representatives since March 1993 for the Division of Kennedy, and the leader of Katter's Australian Party. He began his federal parliamentary career as a member of the National Party of Australia but left the party in 2001, holding the seat as an independent for ten years, when he formed his own party, which was registered in September 2011. Prior to his election to federal politics, Katter was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland, from 1974 to 1992, representing the seat of Flinders for the National Party. Katter was a minister in the Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen-led National Party government, holding various portfolios between 1983 and 1989.

Katter was born in Cloncurry, Queensland, the son of Bob Katter, Sr., who was the member for Kennedy from 1966 to 1990. He is 4th, arguably 5th generation Australian. His father Bob Katter Sr. ran a clothing store and a picture theatre in Cloncurry in 1942 and was a pioneer for the rights of the Indigenous community – taking down a barrier separating the whites from the blacks and giving Aboriginal station hands store credit for boots and clothes for station hand work. Bob Katter Jr. was an investor in cattle and mining interests before entering politics via the Queensland state parliament in 1974.

Katter attended the University of Queensland, where he studied law, but later dropped out without graduating. Whilst at university, Katter ran for the student union and was President of the University Law Society. He later said of his tertiary education that it was probably a good thing he didn't "intellectually prostitute" himself. He served in the Citizens Military Forces, reaching the rank of second lieutenant.


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