Federal MP Bob Katter has threatened a journalist with his fist after being asked a question about his Lebanese heritage at a press conference in Brisbane.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Katter was speaking outside Queensland Parliament with state members of the Katter\u2019s Australian Party about his intention to attend a March For Australia event this weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Katter said only migrants from places with democracy, rule of law, Christianity or a similar religion, industrial awards and egalitarian traditions should be welcome in Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they don\u2019t tick the boxes, they don\u2019t come here,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Katter claimed he had not seen a migrant in his community for 20 years and he would only welcome migrants to his community depending on “where they are coming from”.<\/p>\n
Channel Nine journalist Josh Bavas began to ask Mr Katter a question about his Lebanese heritage before he was cut off.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t say that! Because that irritates me, and I\u2019ve punched blokes in the mouth for saying that. Don\u2019t you say that! My family has been here for 140 years,\u201d Mr Katter shouted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“I have on many occasions, punched blokes in the mouth, so I’m restraining myself today. Don’t say it!”<\/p>\n
Another journalist then asked Mr Katter what was wrong with the line of questioning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not dealing with the subject,\u201d Mr Katter said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m an Australian, my family has been here since the dawn of time, that\u2019s the end of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if my family had only been here 10 minutes, no one has the right to say what he just said.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mr Katter held a press conference on Thursday morning alongside Queensland members of the Katter Australian Party. (ABC News: Curtis Rodda)<\/p>\n
Another journalist then asked the Member for Kennedy how he could say he did not want migrants from certain communities to come to Australia while supporting others who accepted his vision of being Australian.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey don\u2019t become Australians, they hate Australians,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Katter then claimed that 92 per cent of people migrating to Australia move to either Sydney or Melbourne over the past 12 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you see them mixing with other Australians? Dressing like other Australians? Being friendly with other Australians? Being in the local Lions Club? Do you see that?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want to become an Australian, you got to get the hell out of this country.\u201d<\/p>\n
‘You\u2019re a racist’<\/p>\n
Bavas then tried to ask Mr Katter another question.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are people who have come from other countries, like yourselves, like your family, that have good values \u2026\u201d, Bavas said, before being cut off by Mr Katter again.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t say that, because you\u2019re a racist,\u201d Mr Katter said, getting up in Bavas\u2019s face and pointing his finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a racist, you cannot say what you\u2019ve just said without being identified as a racist.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Mr Katter continued to wave his fist in Bavas\u2019s face while he spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto told Mr Katter’s son Robbie to shut the press conference down.<\/p>\n
“With all due respect I think you have offended Mr Katter, so I think he has every intention of being offensive back,” he told Bavas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When asked how Mr Katter had been offended Mr Dametto said: “You haven’t listened to his answer”.<\/p>\n
March for Australia events have been organised around the country this weekend and are calling for a pause to immigration and the banning of all foreign flags.\u00a0<\/p>\n