Newsroom

January 24, 2025

PROUD Australian and Federal Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, is asking Australians to join him in pledging allegiance to Australia, declaring his first action in Parliament for 2025 will be the Allegiance to Australia Bill.

From national supermarkets refusing to stock Australia Day merchandise to government departments banning any display of the flag, Mr Katter said that the nation has been led down a dark path by minority interest groups.

"The Department of Home Affairs issued instructions that there will be no Australian flags in any of their buildings," Mr Katter said, referring to actions taken by the federal government department late last year.

"Enough is enough, can you believe an Australian government department stifling patriotism? We are Australian. We are allowed to be proud," Katter declared.

Mr Katter, who "celebrates Australia Day every day", plans to bring the Allegiance to Australia Bill 2025 to Parliament at the earliest possible opportunity.

"We are moving legislation – the Allegiance to Australia Bill. You will take the pledge of allegiance to Australia, or your federal funding will be withdrawn.

"Every public servant that gets their money off the Australian people – not by growing a crop or raising a cow – is to pledge allegiance.

"If you are not proud and not prepared to have allegiance to this country, then you shouldn't be working for the Australian public service," Katter insisted.

The Bill intends to promote national pride and unity amongst all Australians, as well as ensure all public servants, students, government workforce, subsidised companies, and the Australian public recognise and acknowledge the importance of allegiance to Australia and the importance of the delivery of public services to the betterment of all Australians.

The pledge of allegiance to Australia would mean the recital of the verse:

Mr Katter is proudly known as the biggest supplier of Australian flags for constituents and believes there is power in patriotism.

"I don't care if you've been here three minutes. If you love Australia, you are just as much an Australian as I am.

"The Sikhs I know that have come to Australia, beat their chest and look up to God in heaven and say, ‘I'm an Australian, I'm an Australian’. They are so proud of becoming an Australian, and that is the patriotism we need in this country."

Leading up to Australia Day, Mr Katter and his team orchestrated the #FlyTheFlag campaign, walking the streets of the Kennedy electorate, distributing packs containing small Australian-made flags and stickers, a poem and a letter encouraging people to fly the flag.

"When the Australian flag flies, it reminds you that by day you can navigate using the sun. By night you navigate using the Southern Cross; it will always lead you home."

Photo: Shirley Nayler poses with a cutout of Bob Katter in the Innisfail office