QLD:Katter stands by name despite rejection

AAP General News (Australia)
08-23-2011
QLD:Katter stands by name despite rejection

By Kym Agius

BRISBANE, Aug 23 AAP - Federal MP Bob Katter won't stop using The Australian Party
as an abbreviation in public for his political party despite the Australian Electoral
Commission rejecting it.

The AEC knocked back an application to register Katter's Australian Party on August
17 because The Australian Party abbreviation was likely to be mistaken for, or confused
with, an already registered name or abbreviation.

Mr Katter said the party had withdrawn the abbreviation and is now awaiting approval
from the AEC to be known as Katter's Australian Party.

But he said it won't stop the party calling itself The Australian Party in public.

Queensland leader and Beaudesert MP Aidan McLindon said he was also "very comfortable"

casually referring to the party as The Australian Party, despite the ruling.

Meanwhile, the pair have warned potential candidates not to sign up if they don't believe
in the party's 21 core values.

It comes after former police officer Jason Somerville said on the weekend he was dumped
after questioning the party on whether he could hold personal views on issues such as
same-sex marriage, abortion and surrogacy.

One of the core values listed on the party's website is that it is in the best social
and economic interest, and the interest of children, to uphold marriage between a man
and woman.

But although the party says modern Australia was founded on Christian values, it does
not have a stance on abortion.

"There are 21 core values and principles in this party and if the candidates don't
agree to those, then there is no point in them joining," Mr McLindon told reporters in
Brisbane.

"Outside of our core issues an values, the electorate will naturally come first."

The men also made a policy announcement on Tuesday to raise the payroll tax threshold
from $1 million to $2 million, giving 7500 small businesses a tax break at a cost of $240
million.

AAP ka/jmm/ht

KEYWORD: KATTER

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