KATTER’S Australian Party has thrown it’s hat into the political race for Wannon, announcing a local candidate in the lead-up to this year’s federal election.
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The party recently revealed it would contest every electorate around the nation, with plans to target marginal seats and dissatisfied Labor and National party voters.
In an interview with The Standard yesterday, party figurehead and federal MP Bob Katter said candidates would campaign against foreign ownership of farm land and the Coles/Woolworths duopoly.
“The battle lines are very clearly drawn in Victoria. We have the ALP and the LNP coupled with a high Aussie dollar and everything brought in from overseas with free trade and free markets,” Mr Katter said. “Our policies are the opposite to all of them.”
The federal member for Kennedy in far north Queensland also weighed in on the embattled dairy industry saying the party would push for an arbitrated price on farm goods.
“We believe in an arbitrated price for products,” Mr Katter said.
“There are eight men on our executive team and three of them are there because of dairy deregulation.”
A Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) candidate has yet to be found for Corangamite, however Mr Katter anticipated the party would step into the political fray of the ultra-marginal seat.
“Corangamite would very much be in our gun sights,” he said.
Large supermarkets will also come under attack from KAP during the election, with the party pushing for a 22 per cent market restriction on Coles and Woolworths.
“It’s our number one priority that Coles and Woolworths are brought back,” Mr Katter said.
“There will be no shops left in Australia ... all of Australia has been murdered by government decisions, not by market forces.”
Party national director Aidan McLindon confirmed Lake Bolac woman Tess Corbett would become the officially endorsed candidate for Wannon.
However, Mr McLindon conceded KAP would have to prove its policies were relevant for Victorians.
Speaking to The Standard, Ms Corbett said Bob Katter’s passion had attracted her to the newly-formed political group.
“It’s the fastest growing party in Australia,” Ms Corbett said. “I think it’s time we put a thorn into the flesh.”
The former real estate agent and photography lab worker met with Mr Katter during last week’s KAP conference in Bendigo.