Katter, Palmer lay out the big picture

Two big ideas men, Clive Palmer and Bob Katter, have gone head-to-head in an election debate in Canberra.

Bob Katter and Clive Palmer like to do things big.

Katter has the biggest hat in politics.

Palmer has the single biggest bank balance in politics.

They both fronted the National Press Club on Monday to tell Australia about their big ideas.

Katter, a 20-year veteran of parliament who now heads the Katter's Australian Party, says his big picture is all about development.

He argues the mandated use of Australian-made ethanol and steel, secured government bonds for pensioners and a 10 per cent charge on all imports will deliver a bigger and better Australia.

Palmer, who is leading the Palmer United Party and standing in the Queensland seat of Fairfax, wants a 15 percentage point cut in income tax, the abolition of fringe benefits tax and tax deductibility of home loan payments.

This would stimulate demand and make the overall economic pie bigger, eventually leading to bigger government revenues.

While much of their rhetoric is similar, there is one big difference when it comes to Katter and Palmer.

The Queensland billionaire has a multi-million-dollar electoral war chest and is paying the salaries of more than 100 campaign staff across all 150 lower house seats and in the senate.

Katter said of his election resources: "I'm very proud of our poverty".

While both have big dreams, opinion polls are pointing to a modest result.

Katter's biggest chance lies in retaining his seat of Kennedy and getting country music star James Blundell into a Queensland senate seat.

While Palmer boasts of winning 15 seats in Queensland alone, he's likely to be disappointed in a big way.


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Source: AAP


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