"A very difficult task indeed" is how re-elected Kennedy MP Bob Katter sums up the way ahead in parliament following the win for the ALP in Saturday's federal election.
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Mr Katter has sat on the crossbench in federal parliament since 2001, when he defected from the National Party, and will be joined there this term by a number of teal independents and Greens representatives, people he describes as "budgerigars".
"Most of these people make a lot of noise but have never done a day's profitable work in their lives," he said.
While saying that Prime Minister Albanese had been to Hughenden in outback Queensland a few times and was aware of the water storage and irrigation plans there, he was part of a party that had a large number of "lily-pad lefties".
"They're alive and well in the ALP and Liberal parties, and the deputy Nationals leader is a raging free-trader," was his summation, leaving one to ponder who he will speak with when he says there needs to be some new political alignments.
"I will have discussions but I don't hold out much hope," he said.
Mr Katter was as much disillusioned by what he said was four-and-a-half years of inaction by the LNP in government for northern water and development projects as he was by the having the Labor Party in government.
"My deepest disappointment is that after four-and-a-half years I was promised money for Hughenden but we are no further advanced, apart from design plans that we drew up, and about $20m has been spent," he said. "The government burnt up $1000 million just looking at water schemes.
He also said it would have been nice if the farmers of the Dawson electorate had voted the KAP candidate in.
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Katter's Australian Party leader Robbie Katter said his father should be appointed the new minister for north Australia from the crossbench, saying that the ALP had no-one with experience to represent the needs of the region, but had a portfolio to fill.
"Bob has 40 years of experience and is pushing a lot of things for northern Australia," he said.
"The ALP is cornered - who do they have that can effectively represent the north.
"There was an outright rejection of the ALP in the north but if they're serious about the region, they need someone like Bob."
Saying he was greatly disappointed to see the electoral endorsement of teals and Greens, because their values were "polar opposite" to people living in regional Australia, he suggested that their stronger presence would expose their real intentions for Australia.
The Traeger MP said conventional thinking would now have to say northern water projects were 'dead in the water', but he pointed out that the ALP had agreed to rebuild Paradise Dam.
"We'll put in our pinch bar and prise out something," he said.