Media Release

9 July 2015: KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy Bob Katter MP has today said he is hopping mad over Akubra’s decision to only use European skins to make its broad-brimmed hats, such as the Arena Akubra hat Mr Katter is known for wearing.

Akubra’s decision is being reported as due to the expense of rabbit skins in Australia; and the difficulty in sourcing and the reliability of supply for Australian skins.

“We’re going to be a bunch of bunnies if we keep voting for people that are enforcing this paradigm upon us where we buy everything from overseas.

“That is actually what is happening in Australia – the high value of the dollar, interest rates 1000% higher than the rest of the world; then everything is going to be brought in from overseas.

“We are having discussions with Akubra and I’ve made it quite clear to them, that of course you can get some rabbit fur in Australia.

“Akubra are saying they can’t find them in Australia. Well if you can’t find them in Australia, I’ll eat my hat.

“Rabbits are one of the worst things that ever happened in the Australian environment. They are extremely destructive creators of erosion. So we want them taken out and used for hats,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter has threatened to throw his hat in, if Akubra continues to use foreign sourced materials.

“Akubra is one of the great Australian icons, out there with vegemite (which I don’t eat any more, I now eat Ozemite from Dick Smith). There is a message there from Akubra.

“If I switched over from vegemite to Dick Smith’s Ozemite, then the same fate might well await one of the great icons of Australia – Akubra,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter has a great respect for and faith that the Akbura brand will do the right thing and use Australian rabbit skins.

“Akubra is a great family, they are great people, they make a great product. We don’t want to change hat brands, but we are not going to be wearing hats made out of foreign product,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter also has faith in the Australian people’s desire for Australian made products and their willingness to pay a little more for the product if it is Australian made.

“We keep electing Governments that force upon us a regime that forces us to buy things from overseas. There is not an Australian person that I know that would not be prepared to pay an extra $3 dollars to meet a higher cost of living that we enjoy in Australia.

“The answer is not to put down wages, our aspiration as a nation is to have the highest incomes for our workers.

“It is not our problem – it is our aspiration.

“We are happy to pay a little bit more so our brothers, cousins and ourselves can get a decent income.

“We want to see the old Akubra out there for a long time to come,” Mr Katter said.

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