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Posted: 2016-07-07 05:11:00

Bob Katter speaking to media in Brisbane. Picture: Mark Calleja

HE is one of the biggest jokers in parliament and claims he doesn’t read or watch the news, but re-elected Queensland MP Bob Katter could soon find himself as one of Australia’s most powerful men. Again.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull today headed north to visit the regional powerhouse in his home state of Queensland.

His aim was to woo the wacky independent turned Katter’s Australian Party leader and shore up his support in case he needs him to help form a minority government, and it appears the meeting was a success.

Mr Katter this afternoon announced that he would support the Prime Minister in supply and confidence in the event of a hung parliament.

While it was a momentous meeting for Mr Turnbull, whose prime ministership could depend on the potential kingmaker’s approval, Mr Katter had been here before, and he was ready.

The veteran parliamentarian — he first entered the Queensland Legislative Assembly in 1974 before becoming a federal MP in 1992 — easily held his enormous seat of Kennedy in Saturday’s vote.

But as soon as the results began to come back with no clear winner and the prospect of a hung parliament looked a little more likely, he set hit sights on something bigger — once again becoming a key powerbroker.

Mr Katter told reporters in the days afterwards that he’d already begun drafting the shopping lists of demands he would have the major party leaders agree to in exchange for his compliance.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looked confident and relaxed in Brisbane this morning where he went to meet with Bob Katter. Now we know why. Picture: Tertius Pickard/Getty Images

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull looked confident and relaxed in Brisbane this morning where he went to meet with Bob Katter. Now we know why. Picture: Tertius Pickard/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images

In 2010 when the Federal Election came to a similar deadlock as the one we find ourselves in now, Katter handed a document for consideration of each of the major parties detailing a 20-point plan no one was ever going to agree to.

His demands spanned just about every ministerial portfolio, insisting leaders adopt his stance on national issues while offering some sweeteners for the rural population he represents, particularly his northern Queensland supporters.

When he presented his shopping list to the leaders, Tony Abbott’s Coalition came up with “the most ticks”, but he later on lent his support to Kevin Rudd.

His party has exercised influence in Queensland with a similar tactic, presenting Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with a list of priority projects for her party to consider while KAP MPs threatened to block the minority government’s state budget.

Bob Katter runs his own race in parliament. Picture: Gary Ramage

Bob Katter runs his own race in parliament. Picture: Gary RamageSource:News Corp Australia

Following his meeting with Mr Turnbull today, Mr Katter made the announcement he would back the Coalition government based on how its policies measured up against his own, but reserved the right to change his position at any time.

“There’s no guarantees,” he said.

“What I want to know, is if I give you that backing, what is the intentions of your government, then I will decide what I want to do with my vote?”

While he says he hasn’t signed anything or reached a formal agreement of what the government would agree to, he indicated he had received assurances a Turnbull government would support the Hell’s Gate dam proposal that would supply 20,000 jobs in Mr Katter’s own electorate.

He told media in Brisbane he wouldn’t go into the “40 or 50 items that were discussed”, but was confident native title deeds for indigenous Australians would be a priority, while “union bashing” was off the table.

Mr Katter’s top priorities have always been to score a better deal for farmers, support for retirees, a crackdown on skilled migrant visas and greater investment in infrastructure in rural Queensland.

Bob Katter is a unique voice in Australian politics.

Bob Katter is a unique voice in Australian politics.Source:News Corp Australia

Now it will be up to Mr Turnbull to keep Katter onside, and make sure his support is valuable.

The eccentric Queenslander has a terrible attendance record and has a habit of changing his mind.

Mr Katter said he came away from today’s meeting comfortable that having Turnbull returned as prime minister was the best option for the Australian people following the Federal Election.

“We have spoken with the top people in the country and they have advised us that the ALP will not be able to form government,” he said.

“We do not want to go back to the polls. That should not be imposed upon the Australian people.”

In a breif statement this afternoon, Mr Turnbull described his meeting with Mr Katter as “a very good and constructive discussion”.

Mr Turnbull said he was confident he could form a government that would “unite the parliament” and “unite the nation”.

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