November 23, 2021
MEMBER for Kennedy, Bob Katter has provided the following statement responding to the untruths printed by the Cairns Post newspaper on Monday, 23 November 2021.
“The statement on the front page of the Cairns Post was a lie.
“It stated that eight of my staff have had an adverse reaction to the Covid vaccine and two had died. This is absurd.
“The newspaper was in possession of a video recording where I clearly say, we’ve had eight cases, nine cases, ‘into our office’.
“At 9am on Sunday morning, my two media advisers received an email asking for clarification about a phrase I used at a freedom rally in Cairns on the weekend.
“Shortly thereafter, one of my media advisers provided an unofficial response via text, setting the record straight, “Bob’s speech context should have read as such, ‘I just want to say that we’ve eight cases, nine cases (presented) in (to) our office’ and confirmed they would get him something official.
“The journalist provided a deadline of noon for my media advisers to respond officially however this journalist chose to publish the article paraphrasing my adviser’s unofficial lines mid-morning – well before the noon deadline.
“My adviser sent the lines on time, at 11.50am, to the journalist whereby it was officially communicated:
“Mr Katter’s speech referred to eight cases which have been presented to his office either directly to the EO or to staff. We cannot disclose any further details about these cases as they are confidential and were entrusted to us based on this discretion.”
“Despite this, the journalist chose to run the article with an incorrect phrase alongside a conflicting video of myself where I clearly say, ‘into our office.’
“After confronting the Editor of the newspaper yesterday about the issue, the paper acknowledged the issue and changed their online article entirely. The Editor promised a page 3 retraction, but none has been published to date in the paper.
Mr Katter takes this matter very seriously as an elected representative and is seeking legal advice.