‘Kick in the guts’: Thuringowa candidate Clynton Hawks dropped from Katter Australia’s Party

Outspoken crime fighter Clynton Hawks has been disendorsed by the Katter’s Australia Party and will not run for the party in the seat of Thuringowa.

Clynton Hawks has been disendorsed as the KAP candidate in Thuringowa by “honourable agreement” as the party potentially eyes someone who’s a better fit Picture: Shae Beplate.

Outspoken crime fighter, avid veteran advocate and Facebook campaigner Clynton Hawks has been dropped by the Katter’s Australia Party six months out from the Queensland election.

Mr Hawks was set to run on behalf of the KAP in the battleground seat of Thuringowa, but was let go publicly on Tuesday.

The truckie said he was called at 3pm that day and told he was being disendorsed, and it was a ‘kick in the guts’, but he wished the KAP the best.

KAP leader Robbie Katter thanked Mr Hawks for his “honourable agreement” to vacate the seat in the “interest of the party”.

“Clynton has been a long-term and active KAP member and we appreciate that. This decision has not come easily,” Mr Katter said.

Clynton Hawks at the Townsville 2024 Anzac Day memorial service.

“The electorate of Thuringowa is a target seat for KAP in the upcoming state election, and we have every intention of making the necessary changes to aggressively win the support of the Thuringowa voters.”

Mr Hawks said he understood the KAP had found a stronger candidate to stand for them in the electorate.

Clynton Hawks with Bob Katter before he contested the Federal seat of Herbert. Picture: Shae Beplate.

As for his own future, the outspoken truck driver said he’d spent five years building up this election, and wasn’t going to pack up his ambitions just yet, telling residents they should “watch this space”.

Crime Rally outside Qld Country Bank Stadium Townsville, where the Premier is holding a community cabinet meeting. Clynton Hawks organiser.

Mr Hawks has been heavily involved in political campaigning in the last few years, including unsuccessfully running for the KAP in the federal election for Herbert in 2022 where he collected seven per cent of first preference votes.

Mr Hawks was also the organiser behind the Townsville Rally Against Crime where Aaron Harper infamously took up the megaphone to call hecklers a ‘rent-a-crowd’.

Mr Harper is the current Thuringowa MP.

Originally published as ‘Kick in the guts’: Thuringowa candidate Clynton Hawks dropped from Katter Australia’s Party