Independent MP Bob Katter has publicly dismissed Pauline Hanson's aspirations to become Prime Minister, stating he is 'not interested' in learning about her or her political ambitions. The remark came during an interview with the TikTok group Boys Down Under, where Katter also reiterated his controversial proposal to arm 14-year-old Australians with combat rifles.
When asked about Hanson, Katter appeared unfamiliar, saying, 'Pauline Hanson? Oh yes, she's that lady, righto. I don't know much about her, no disrespect to her, but I'm not interested in finding out much about her.' He then pivoted to discuss his Bradfield Scheme plans and his longstanding goal to train teenagers in firearm use.
Katter's Stance on Arming Teenagers
In the TikTok video, Katter stated, 'We want every 14-year-old in this country to be trained to use a combat rifle and get a combat rifle.' When the interviewer sought clarification on the age, Katter confirmed, 'At 14.' He added that the guns would be stored in school armories and later in town armories, warning, 'So don't pick a fight with us, mate.'
Katter has been publicly advocating for arming teenagers since 2022, claiming during an appearance on Sky News that every child had access to a rifle when he was younger.
Hanson's Prime Ministerial Ambitions
Last month, Pauline Hanson declared her readiness to become Prime Minister, telling Sky News, 'Do I want to be Prime Minister? Well, I tell you what, I won't knock the job because I believe that I have the ability to do it.' She also indicated she was considering running for a seat in the House of Representatives rather than the Senate. A Sky News Pulse poll from June 3 showed One Nation leading Labor 29 per cent to 26 per cent in primary voting intention.
Previous Collaboration
Despite Katter's recent dismissal, he and Hanson have previously collaborated on political issues. Both represent Queensland areas and have teamed up on various occasions. In 2019, Katter's press release described them as a 'political power couple' when they toured drought-affected regions together. At that time, Katter acknowledged their differences but expressed a willingness to work together, saying, 'We have different political parties with very serious differences but we are burying those differences.'
