MP Bob Katter's abrupt crocodile line amuses Australia
- Published
Australia may have learned the result of its same-sex marriage vote last Wednesday, but it took until Sunday for one memorable reaction to gain steam.
It was given by veteran MP Bob Katter, a same-sex marriage opponent who once claimed that gay people did not live in his Queensland electorate.
After the vote supported changing the law, he appeared to soften his stance.
But he abruptly shifted topic to talk about crocodiles instead - in footage that has gone viral and amused many.
"I mean, you know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities. Let there be a thousand blossoms bloom, as far as I am concerned," Mr Katter said at a press conference, giving a laugh.
"But I ain't spending any time on it because in the meantime, every three months, a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in north Queensland."
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Mr Katter made the comments on Wednesday, but they gained wide attention on Sunday when aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Insiders programme.
The footage left the show's panel laughing, while host Barrie Cassidy asked: "So, we should put the whole country on hold until we sort out that particular problem?"
From there, the footage was enjoyed online.
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The independent politician has long campaigned for a crocodile cull in northern Queensland.
According to government authorities, crocodiles have killed 11 people in Queensland since 1985.
It is not the first time Mr Katter's views have generated attention.
In August, the conservative MP told Sky News that homosexual people had stolen the word "gay" - which he described as once "the most beautiful word in the English language".
In explaining his position, Mr Katter quoted part of Alexander Pope's 18th Century poem The Rape of the Lock - "Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay" - and said he now felt a "beautiful image" had been "taken".
Mr Katter's electorate was one of 17 that voted against legalising same sex marriage. Australia's other 133 electorates supported changing the law, giving the Yes campaign a nationwide majority of 61.6%.