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Parliament to sit without Liberals: Katter

Firebrand Queensland MP Bob Katter will be attending parliament in Canberra next week, despite it being postponed a week.

Queensland MP Bob Katter
Qld MP Bob Katter says he will go to Canberra despite the government postponing the lower house. (AAP)

Bob Katter is lobbying fellow MPs to have parliament sit next week, despite the government postponing the House of Representatives by a week.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne announced on Monday the lower house would not meet as scheduled from November 27.

Instead, it will return on December 4, with the government claiming the Senate won't finish debate on same-sex marriage legislation until November 30.

Only the Speaker of the House of Representatives has the power to postpone parliamentary sittings, but Mr Katter foreshadowed plans to go rogue.

"Whether it sits on the garden lawn or whether it sits in the building, we don't care. It will vote. It will make the laws of the land," Mr Katter told reporters in Townsville.

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"We'll form parliament, we'll appoint a speaker and we'll proceed.

"If the Liberal Party choose not to turn up, well, that is their choice."

Mr Katter says he has contacted Greens MP and fellow crossbencher Adam Bandt with his plans to travel to Canberra for the scheduled sitting.

"Government is terrified it has lost control of parliament. King Charles cancelled parliaments and he lost his head. At this rate, Turnbull is not far from the metaphorical chopping block either," Mr Bandt tweeted.

Mr Katter says a renewed push by Queensland LNP backbenchers to establish a commission of inquiry into banks - which he supports - was behind the government's tactic to delay the lower house.

"Obviously Malcolm Turnbull must have been romancing his girlfriend when the university lecture on separation of powers was given," Mr Katter said.

"I will back my constitutional knowledge 1000 times over Malcolm Turnbull's I can assure you."


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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