Media Release

KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter braved the rain and his fear of ride on lawn mowers today, to stand up against what he labelled petty and pedantic policing in his electorate.

“We’ve recently been on a tour of Far North Queensland and everywhere we went the issue of policing or drugs was raised, and I’ve never had that before,” Mr Katter said.

“I’ve had complaints from old people who haven’t got enough money for their gun safes and consequently have police invading their homes like they are some major criminal.

“And we’ve had two most extraordinary cases of petty and pedantic charging decisions recently.

“The first was at Mount Isa Rodeo where floats were coming in for the annual gala procession and the police fined a driver for having people in the back of the float.

“Now, there was some technicality about a line where the float area started – but here’s people having fun at an annual community event – have the police got nothing better to do with their time?

“Now we’ve had an incident in Prarie, where the total population is probably 25, I can honestly say I’ve never seen a single person in the main street of Prarie.

“Yet poor Tom Duddy was on his lawn mower on his way to mow the local school and park – where there have been at least 3 deadly snakes removed in recent times – and was booked for driving an unregistered vehicle.

“Tom Duddy was on the footpath, if this decision were to be followed it has grave consequences for all Queenslanders who want to mow their footpaths.

“But I can’t imagine any grave dangers that the people of Prarie were facing!”

“As a very wise old policeman once said to me – laws are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools.

“The police must remember that part of their job is to get the public on side, I know that they’ve got my help in doing so many times in the past.

“And they should be aware of the consequences of wanting to go to the letter the law with everything – because there is the spirit of the law that needs to be addressed as well.”

Mr Katter also criticised productivity measures within the police force, where a preoccupation with charge numbers ultimately deters community policing.

“Bluey O’Gorman, previously President of the Police Union, was tenaciously opposed to the “kill sheet”. As he saw it, a good copper doesn’t have a very high rate of crime in his area.

“I don’t mean to pick on individual police officers because they’re under a lot of stress in isolated areas, but this measure of policing leads to a lessening of respect for all the men and women who risk their lives to protect us.

“They deserve a better wrap than what they’re getting because of the decisions of a few,” Mr Katter said.

Two recent examples cited are:

Tom Duddy, the local publican in Prarie within the electorate of Kennedy, who was charged with driving an unregistered vehicle – a lawn mower – whilst on his way to voluntarily mow the town park to raise money for the local P&C. The official population of Prarie is approx. 100 people.

James Knell, Mount Isa resident also in the electorate of Kennedy, charged with having unrestrained passengers on the back of his truck – which at the time was operating as a decorated float in the Mount Isa Rodeo Parade.