Reuben Richardson announced as KAP candidate for Thuringowa at 2024 election campaign launch

The spotlight was on Katter’s Australian Party’s new candidate for Thuringowa today after he was announced just three months after the KAP parted ways with anti-crime advocate Clynton Hawks. Find out more about him here.

Newly announced member for Thuringowa Reuben Richardson. Picture: Nikita McGuire

The Katter’s Australian Party announced their new candidate for Thuringowa, with party members and supporters gathering on Friday at the KAP 2024 Election launch party at The Spirited Goat in Townsville.

Reuben Richardson has entered the party as the new candidate, three months after the KAP disendorsed anti-crime advocate Clynton Hawks following what Robbie Katter called a ‘honourable agreement’.

Mr Richardson, an engineer and local business owner, said he was hoping to work with the team to create ‘amazing change’ in Townsville and noting key issues he would focus on as youth crime and being competitive in the energy sector.

“We will be aiming to listen to the people and make positive change,” he said.

“As an engineer, I’m all about solving problems and I want to apply those skills to the area, for North Queensland.”

Newly announced member for Thuringowa Reuben Richardson. Picture: Nikita McGuire

Mr Richardson said a key focus, coming from an engineering background, was the Australian energy industry, saying more needs to be done.

“What we need in Australia is globally competitive energy and the policies in place at the moment are really working against that. It is detrimental to manufacturing and industry,” he said.

“For us to be a player in the world we really need to pick up our game.”

Robbie Katter said Mr Richardson was also a passionate advocate for changing youth crime policy in Townsville.

With the election just months away Mr Richardson said the first job in the new role was to get out and talk to the people.

KAP Leader Robbie Katter. Picture: Nikita McGuire

“Working my way through the community, trying to understand what the big issues are for the region and making sure that we can address them,” he said.

“Youth crime is an area where I have been working in the background over the last year or two. As an engineer and small business owner, getting people to Townsville is demanding.’

“When they first look up Townsville, they just see the drama that is going on. I was one of the witnesses for the Youth Justice Reform Committee, trying to push change in the community as well as putting together an On Country bid with other leaders in the community to aim for a holistic approach for On Country programs.”

KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto. Picture: Nikita McGuire

On his choice to join the KAP party, Mr Richardson said his core values lead to his decision.

“The KAP is a values based party, that definitely aligns with myself. Unashamedly North Queensland focused to ensure that we can do the best for North Queensland,” he said.

The KAP honed down their focus for change ahead of October’s election, naming housing, cost of living, youth crime, Castle Law and their Relocation Sentencing Policy as key areas to target. Deputy Leader and Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto said the party was proud of their core values and principles.

“We are a party unashamedly built here in North Queensland for North Queenslanders,” he said.

“We’re a party built on strong Christian values. We are also a party that believes in your ability to feel safe in your own home and to be able to defend yourself. Home ownership in Queensland is something that should be at the core of every family.”

Candidate for Mundingburra Michael Pugh said he was stepping forward to ‘raise the bar’.

“The people have been let down by under-representation. They have no direction or leadership,” he said.

“If elected in October, I’m committed to delivering change that Mundingburra so rightly deserves.”

Candidate for Cook Duane Amos, a police officer of more than three decades, said his experience inspired him to join the KAP.

“I’ve given 34 years to the policing service, not only to this state after leaving the miliary and the Victorian Police Force, and I’ve had the opportunity to come home,” he said.

“I’ve seen how far we’ve fallen in terms of this great state from a crime perspective, the waywardness of our youth and opportunities that should have been given to these kids a long time ago.”

“It’s about time, we have to start to refocus politics on investing in communities and investing in the North.”

Originally published as Reuben Richardson announced as KAP candidate for Thuringowa at 2024 election campaign launch