Not funny, Bob!

Bob Katter is unique in Australian politics - he's an independent maverick MP, a red-necked Queenslander who's one seat in parliament would be invaluable to Julia Gillard's Labor governement in breaking the stranglehold that the Liberal opposition has on progressing much needed reforms.

With his penchant for wearing a very 'Texan-style' large cowboy hat, we refer to him as the leader of the "One Nation In a Hat Australian Party"! He made these comments about domestic violence in Queensland at a domestic violence rally in Brisbane. He was walking past with two men, including Aidan McLindon, the state leader of Katter's Australian Party when he shared his views on the problem with Diane Mangan, from domestic violence support service called DV Connect.


Bob Katter said:

"A lot of our cases in Queensland are coming from overcrowding you know," he told Diane Mangan who organises the rallies. "Some of the towns in my electorate there's an average of 15 people in each house, and I mean' you just live under those sorts of pressure and this sort of thing will happen."

Australian Broadcasting Commission's presenter from the ABC's  "PM" current Affairs show then asked Mr Katter to explain his comments.

"I mean there's a lot of jokes about, you know, mother-in-laws," he told PM. "Well they're funny, but they're not really funny. I mean there is a mechanism in there. You know, when you've got everybody living on top of each other and getting on each other's nerves, kids get on parent's nerves, parents irritate kids. I mean, you've got to understand when you've got 15 people in a house the result is just dreadful ... and that can be fixed tomorrow."

Women at the rally were understandably upset at his comments and said his lack of awareness was disheartening from a long-serving Member of Parliament.

Domestic violence expert Betty Taylor has written reports for the Government on the issue.