Re-elected KAP stalwart, Shane Knuth, bullish about his party’s future with controversial croc bill high on the agenda

Strong results across regional Queensland has given Katter’s Australian Party reason to believe it could almost double its seats at the next state election, Member for Hill Shane Knuth says.

Far North MP Shane Knuth believes his party can wield significant influence throughout regional Queensland. Picture: Liam Kidston

Strong results across regional Queensland has given Katter’s Australian Party reason to believe it could almost double its seats at the next state election, Member for Hill Shane Knuth says.

Queensland parliament’s second longest serving member saw off his main rivals, the LNP’s Cameron McCollum and ALP Michael Hodgkins, in convincing fashion to claim the regional seat for a third time.

The KAP is expected to hold all four its seats but Mr Knuth said the emergence of strong candidates, including Duane Amos in Cook, Steven Lesina in Mulgrave and Ben Campbell in Barron River was encouraging.

“They were all very good and we feel that next time they run they’ll be huge contenders for those three seats,” Mr Knuth, who previously served as the Member for Dalrymple and Charters Towers, said.

“Duane’s a good operator, has a lot of energy and great ideas that are aligned with KAP’s values and policies.

“We’re the biggest minor party in the Queensland parliament and we outnumber the Greens and independents combined.

“So we’ve got some grunt and we believe that seven seats is a realistic goal.”

Mr Amos, a police officer, had performed particularly with more than 20 per cent of around 25,000 votes tallied in his electorate, prior to deadline.

LNP attack ads calling Mr Knuth “soft on crime” may have contributed to an estimated eight per cent swing to the Coalition but the KAP stalwart said he proudly stood by his record.

“I’m very proud of how we ran our campaign in a positive approach,” he said.

“We were less concentrated on attacking the position and focused on what we were going to do.”

Mr Knuth said his next priority would be to start lobbying for his Crocodile Control, Conservation and Safety Bill 2024.

Under the plan, a management authority would be establish to regulate the apex predator, with Indigenous-led trophy hunting and culling also part of the scheme.

“It’s about making our waterways safe and the major parties haven’t got one answer to it whereas the KAP has,” he said.

“It’s a massive issue that consecutive governments have failed to address. We’re prepared to take action.”

Hill was first established as a seat in 2017 and covers parts of the Atherton Tablelands through to coastal centres including Innisfaill, Silkwood, Mission Beach and Tully.

Originally published as Re-elected KAP stalwart, Shane Knuth, bullish about his party’s future with controversial croc bill high on the agenda