Australian MP Bob Katter threatens to punch journalist for ‘racist’ question

Australian politician Bob Katter threatened to punch a journalist after being asked about his heritage at a Brisbane press conference.

According to the Brisbane Times, journalist Josh Bavas started to ask Katter about his Lebanese background, as the politician threw his support behind Sunday’s March for Australia.

The MP dramatically responded to the question in an angry outburst.

“Oh mate, don’t say that because that irritates me, and I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that”, he said, going on to say he was “restraining” himself.

ABC News reports Katter assured those at the press conference his family have been in Australia for 140 years – what he called “since the dawn of time”.

“Even if my family had only been here 10 minutes, no has the right to say what he just said.”

He went on to call Bavas a racist when the journalist asked a follow-up question, waving a fist in his face.

“You’re a racist, you cannot say what you’ve just said without being identified as a racist.”

The press conference was promptly shut down after the incident.

Katter, an independent Federal MP and founder of Katter’s Australian Party, has been a fairly controversial figure in Australian politics.

His intention to attend the rally, which opposes immigration and proposes a ban on the display of foreign flags, follows reports that the march organisers support white supremacist ideas.

An ABC News investigation uncovered white nationalist talking points on the March for Australia website, despite the organisation’s claims it is not a “far right” group.

When another journalist asked the politician about his stance, he said he only supported immigration from groups who share traditions like democracy or Christianity.

Other migrant groups, he said, “don’t become Australians, they hate Australians”.

“Do you see them mixing with other Australians? Dressing like other Australians? Being friendly with other Australians? Being in the local Lions Club? Do you see that?”

Katter went viral in 2017 after he comically linked same-sex relationships with an apparent crocodile problem in regional Australia.

“I mean, you know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities”, he said of queer people, a quiet reversal of his previous opposition to the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

“But I ain’t spending any time on it because in the meantime, every three months, a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.”