‘We’ve had enough’: Clynton Hawks takes second political shot for KAP

A Townsville truckie and ‘victim of crime advocate’ is taking his second shot at politics for Katter’s Australian Party. See what he stands for.

Townsville man Clynton Hawks is officially standing as the Katter's Australian Party candidate in the state seat of Thuringowa at the 2024 election.

Clynton Hawks is standing for Katter’s Australian Party in the seat of Thuringowa at next year’s state election.

Crime and cost of living will be in Mr Hawks’ focus for the 360 days before polling.

“You get mugged in the carpark at Willows, then you go into Woolies and get mugged at the checkout,” he said.

“And then we go to the polls and we get mugged by the powerbrokers in Brisbane. North Queenslanders aren’t mugs, and we have had enough.”

Mr Hawks unsuccessfully stood for the KAP in the federal electorate of Herbert in 2022, collecting seven per cent (6472) of first preferences and polling fourth in the seat.

Clynton Hawks, flanked by Robbie and Bob Katter, when the former ran for federal politics and the Herbert seat in the 2022 election. Picture: Shae Beplate.

But the KAP and Mr Hawks have made this election tilt announcement in a timely manner; Mr Hawks led a victims of crime rally in Townsville on Sunday, where current ALP Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper called the rally “rent a crowd” and “bloody LNP”.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper at the victims of crime rally on Sunday, with Clynton Hawks in the background. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm

Mr Harper later apologised for his choice of words, and said “My comments were aimed at LNP members who were attempting to hijack the event for their own political purposes”.

Mr Hawks, a father and truck driver, believes “MPs wedded to the two-party machine could not adequately represent those in the regions”.

Since the 2022 federal election loss, Mr Hawks said he had been encouraged by the support he received “in standing up for victims of crime in the community, having been a victim of a home invasion myself”.

Traeger MP and party leader Robbie Katter said Mr Hawks’ “ … comes home with grease under his nails”.

Clynton Hawks and Kennedy MP Bob Katter, on the campaign trail in late-2021. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“In helping bring the community together, and in amplifying the cries of the victims of crime in Townsville, Clynton’s all but doing the work that a good representative of the community - a good MP - would be doing,” Mr Katter said.

Kennedy MP Bob Katter said Mr Hawks’ had industrial and trade acumen.

The Kennedy MP said Mr Hawks played a key role in pushing for a solution when Chinese urea export policy threatened the supply of diesel emission-reducing additive AdBlue.

“We ended up in a situation where we only had about four weeks’ supply before the trucks went off the road. So pretty good for a bloke in Townsville to alert and get action for the whole nation,” the Kennedy MP said.

Thuringowa MP, Mr Harper, said “I will always fight for my community and will continue to do so between now and the election,” in response to news of his KAP opponent.

“I look forward to the challenge ahead and advocating for the people of Thuringowa.”

In March the LNP nominated Natalie Marr to also contest the seat.

Originally published as ‘We’ve had enough’: Clynton Hawks takes second political shot for KAP