Newsroom

October 21, 2021

HE may be 22, but the Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) candidate for the federal seat of Herbert, Clynton Hawks, has a wealth of experience and fresh ideas for the future of Townsville.

Hawks has seen it all working for his family’s transport business, including driving to change truck tyres in the middle of the Northern Territory in 40-degree heat, and he’s certainly not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Hawks has lived in Townsville for the best part of a decade, and his work experience gives him an intimate understanding of North Queensland’s economy and the approaching challenges that need to be overcome.

He says he will be fighting in the upcoming federal election, for water security in northern Australia, a better freight system, the establishment of local, generational manufacturing, and for greater national security - with the Chinese Communist Party’s encroachment on Australia’s sovereignty.

“I would like to run in Herbert because it’s my home. I have built a life here. I believe Herbert deserves a politician that works for them not the party room,” he said.

“The current member for Herbert is too busy playing party politics against local and state governments to worry about the big picture. We need better forward planning for our city’s growth alongside the three other feeder towns of Charters Towers, Ingham, and Ayr.

“The KAP core values and principles align with my everyday life, and I couldn’t think of a better party to run for that has a strong track record of delivering for northern Australia on a state and federal level.”

In his spare time Clynton enjoys camping, four-wheel-driving and volunteering for the Alice River Community Association.

KAP Leader, Robbie Katter, said the Party had selected a candidate who was community orientated.

“The thing I like about Clynton is that he is down-to-earth, connected with real world problems, and not out of a political factory that the major parties tend to source their candidates from,” he said.

“The KAP has been successful because our MPs are ordinary, hardworking people. Shane Knuth was a fettler in the railways and Nick Dametto worked his own tourism business as well as in the mines, which my Father did as well.” CLYNTON HAWKS - Candidate for Herbert

KAP President, Chris Carney, said minor parties would play a major role in the upcoming federal election, with pundits predicting a possible hung parliament, and polling showing significant support away from Labor and the LNP.[1]

“A vote for a minor party is not a wasted vote, in fact the people of Townsville could hold the balance of power after this election,” he said.

“A handful of votes could change the nation. Clynton is level-headed, knowledgeable and will serve the people of Herbert well if he’s elected as their representative.”

Kennedy MP, Bob Katter, said the KAP had taken out and consolidated one Townsville seat at the state level (Hinchinbrook), and would mount a serious challenge behind Clynton Hawks in Herbert.

“The ALP and LNP are too busy serving their constituency in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, to take proper notice of us in North Queensland,” he said.

“Their net-zero policies will close the mining, coal, cane and cattle industries which are major employers in Townsville through the port, the meat works, FIFO mining and local refineries.

“Like many north Queenslanders, Clynton is a hands-on, owner-operator, who works hard to better himself.”