FED:Katter a 'show pony': Qld MP

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2011
FED:Katter a 'show pony': Qld MP

By Jessica Marszalek

BRISBANE, Feb 15 AAP - A Queensland minister has labelled federal independent MP Bob
Katter a "show pony" over his behaviour during the state's natural disasters.

Rockhampton Labor MP and Public Works Minister Robert Schwarten spoke of his flood-hit
central Queensland community during a special condolence motion in state parliament on
Tuesday that also recognised Cyclone Yasi's victims.

He also used the occasion to label Mr Katter's behaviour as "appalling", after the
high-profile Kennedy MP said the people of north Queensland had been treated shabbily
in the state's emergency response.

Mr Katter had slammed authorities for leaving communities isolated.

Mr Schwarten said Mr Katter was not interested in his constituents, engaging only in
"self-promotion".

He was "best described as a show pony, just jumping into town, creating the most noise
they can and believing that they're assisting", he said.

"To hear Katter say no one's caring about people, no one's doing anything for people
is just unfortunate to say the very least," Mr Schwarten told MPs.

Mr Katter said he was pleased Premier Anna Bligh had set up a north Queensland office
for the reconstruction effort and wouldn't comment on Mr Schwarten's attack.

"I think Mr Schwarten has called me an idiot, a gorilla, a troglodyte, a numbskull,"

he told reporters on the Gold Coast.

"Really he's exercised his very wide vocabulary on me and I'm highly flattered that
I should get the attention from such a person.

"During Cyclone Larry he venomously attacked me and I did not reply and I'm very proud
of the fact that, you know, I would argue I have not made a single negative comment or
anything that could even be construed as negative."

AAP jmm/crh/dep

KEYWORD: PARLY QLD SCHWARTEN UPDATE

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