Bob Katter Responds Angrily to Questions About Lebanese Ancestry

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Maverick federal MP Bob Katter threatened to punch a journalist after his heritage was questioned ahead of so-called pro-Australia marches planned across the country.

Katter, 80, confronted a TV reporter and thrust a fist in his face when asked about his family’s Lebanese history in fiery scenes in Brisbane on Thursday.

Katter, who is federal parliament’s longest-serving MP, became irate when asked about his Lebanese heritage by Nine Network journalist Josh Bavas.

His grandfather Carl Robert Katter immigrated from Lebanon to Australia in 1898.

“Don’t say that, because that irritates me, and I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that,” Katter yelled, cutting off the reporter’s question.

“I am Australian. My family have been here since the dawn of time.”

Katter then approached Bavas with a raised fist when the reporter tried to ask what he thought about migrants who arrived in Australia with “good values”.

“You’re a racist,” the veteran MP said, holding his fist close to the reporter’s face.

“You cannot say what you just said without being identified as a racist.

“Gentlemen, ladies, this man is a racist. Don’t listen to him.”

Bavas stood his ground, taking Katter to task about the confrontation.

“I don’t think it’s fair to threaten journalists with a fist before they’ve even finished the question – I think it’s quite offensive to threaten a journalist,” he replied.

Katter to be ‘front and centre’ at March for Australia rally

The MP for the Queensland seat of Kennedy had earlier claimed at the Katter’s Australian Party press conference that he would be “front and centre” at the rally in Brisbane on Sunday.

The rallies have sparked safety fears for multi-cultural communities amid fears they may be targeted.

The rally in Brisbane will be held on the final weekend of the state’s Multicultural Month.

Katter claimed migrants who mostly move to Melbourne and Sydney were not embracing Australian culture.

“I don’t care whether you’re born here or not, if you have anti-Australian sentiments then get the hell out of my country,” he said.

Organisers have been linked with white nationalist ideas but they have distanced themselves from far-right groups.

Nine Network, Katter demand apology

Bavas later said he was trying to ask about the value migrant Australian families “including the Katters and my own” bring to the nation before he was cut off.

“In my near 20 years in journalism I’ve never experienced that kind of reaction from an elected representative,” he said in a joint statement.

Nine Network stood by Bavas, demanding Katter apologise for his “unacceptable” behaviour.

“His baseless and offensive accusation of racism is an irresponsible attempt to shut down a legitimate line of questioning,” Nine Network’s Fiona Dear said in the statement.

Katter also demanded an apology, publishing a Facebook post later in the day in which he said: “To be seen as anything other than Australian is highly insulting to me”.