Newsroom
KAP Launches Navy Veteran as Barron River Candidate
October 8, 2024
The Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) has today launched Ben Campbell, a Navy Veteran of 15 years as their candidate for the Far North Seat of Barron River.
Speaking at the launch, KAP leader Robbie Katter said Mr Campbell was a passionate community member, dedicated to community safety, minimising the cost of living, and individual freedoms.
“Ben’s passion and dedication during his time in the Navy, and his personal drive and values make him a perfect candidate for the KAP, and the local member that the people of Barron River desperately crave and deserve,” Mr Katter said.
“Through his active involvement in local church groups, and competitive sporting shooting, Ben has entrenched himself in the community and gets what it takes to support his community.
“Ben is ready to use his understanding the real issues in his community and have the gusto and passion to take those issues to Brisbane and follow in the KAP way of telling them how it really is here in Far North Queensland, and drive real, locally relevant solutions – not ideas dreamt up in a Brisbane HQ.” the KAP leader said.
KAP Federal member for Kennedy, Bob Katter said Mr Campbell’s drive to get out on the hustings.
“He’s got a tiger in his tank that is for certain,” Mr Katter said.
“It never ceases to surprise me that blokes like Ben join KAP with such acrimony. He, like almost every other North Queenslander, has just had a gut full of seeing all the freedoms taken off North Queensland again, and again, and again.
“He’s going to serve up a brutal fight this election. I’d be worried if I was running against him.”
Mr Campbell spoke of how his, and the KAP’s values so neatly aligned, while explaining how he came to the Barron River region.
"During the lockdowns and mandates imposed on us by the major parties, I relocated to Cairns, knowing that the Freedom Focused North Queensland Community shares a unique set of values. Our way of life is precious and must be protected at any cost, and I’m here to do that,” he said.
“I am unashamedly an active sporting shooter, and have enjoyed pastimes such as 4WDing, camping, fishing, and hunting – our way of life here in FNQ is underpinned by our freedom to enjoy these pastimes, and I’m passionate about protecting our rights to do so from the woke brigade out of Brisbane,” the KAP candidate said.
KAP Leader, Robbie Katter said that the political tide was clearly shifting, but the people of Far North Queensland and Barron River had a real choice, not just a Brisbane party operative with a different colour tie on.
“The Labor government and their so-called local members are clearly on the nose, but voting LNP is still a vote for Brisbane. Brisbane focussed, wasteful Brisbane spending, and Brisbane control,” he said.
“The KAP are North Queensland’s party, and we are the only choice for any voter who believes in North Queensland and our potential to prosper,” the KAP leader said.