Katter slams “soulless bureaucracy” blocking veterans from paying tribute
April 23, 2025
FEDERAL Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has come out swinging after Queensland's Weapons Licensing bureaucrats effectively shut down long-standing ANZAC Day commemorations by historical re-enactment groups, calling it "soulless, tone-deaf bureaucracy at its absolute worst."
Mr Katter was alerted by Robert Finlay—a member of the Australian Living History Federation—that living history groups were being blocked from participating in ANZAC Day and other commemorative events due to shifting interpretations of licensing conditions.
"These are not wild gun fanatics or some fringe mob," Mr Katter said. "These are our ex-servicemen, history enthusiasts, and community volunteers—many of them older veterans—who respectfully reenact military scenes to bring our past to life and honour our fallen.
"And now, some bureaucrat sitting in a Brisbane office has decided they know better than the Minister, better than our RSLs, and better than common sense—and has told them to stop."
The Australian Living History Federation and its member groups have followed the same licensing conditions since 2017, under exemptions MR4 and MR5 of Queensland's weapons licensing framework. These conditions set out the responsibilities for safe, respectful use of blank-fire and replica weapons during public displays.
"Let me be very clear," Mr Katter continued, "there's been no change to the Weapons Act. There's no new regulation. No incident. Just an overzealous department deciding ANZAC Day needs to be micromanaged and possibly cancelled, unless these groups jump through a whole new set of invisible hoops."
Emails from Mr Finlay show that despite providing all required notices and documentation—including safety guidelines and public liability insurance—the group was told they must now seek full approval for events they are merely participating in, not organising. Even attempts to clarify the matter with the Queensland Police Minister's office were brushed aside by Weapons Licensing, who appear unwilling to budge.
"This is bureaucracy gone rogue. And what's worse—it's at the expense of ANZAC Day," Mr Katter said. "We've got crime exploding in regional Queensland and they're worried about a bloke in a slouch hat firing blanks in a tribute parade."
"I'll be taking this to Canberra if it isn't resolved. These people are doing this out of respect, out of patriotism, and out of deep love for this country's history. And it's time our public servants showed a bit of the same."
ENDS
Bob: “Back in my day, we used an automatic gate opener.” Wendi: “I have one. The gate just automatically opened for me.”
Bloody Alex and his inner-city trendy accent… It’s pronounced “Boulia” ya drongo!
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In FNQ towns like Innisfail, Tully, Mission Beach, Atherton, Tolga, Mareeba and Lakeland, the banana industry is part of the very fabric of the community. Similarly around Coffs Harbour in NSW and Carnarvon WA. Thousands of wonderful people: 🍌 grow or work on banana farms 🚜 mechanics fix our tractors ⛏️ rural suppliers provide our equipment 🚚 trucks transport our fruit 📦 packaging companies provide our boxes 🏗️ engineering works make our trailers 🚜 earth movers fix our headlands and many others contribute proudly. We love our AUSTRALIAN BANANAS.
Mabel - A travelling irrigator like no other to soak the parched, rich black soil plains of the mid-west. Bob has a dream for untold economic wealth and prosperity... with dams, roads, rail, ports to facilitate huge agricultural, mining and processing growth. Bob met with the lads at JAM (Johnstone Agricultural Machinery) to share this dream and discuss his plans for ‘Mabel’ the travelling irrigator!
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AUSTRALIA NEEDS TO BETTER USE OUR GREAT MINERAL, AGRICULTURAL AND LAND WEALTH Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Our mineral resources are vast. Our agricultural potential is huge. We have millions of hectares of land unutilised or under-utilised. Australians should be swimming in wealth …. NOT drowning in debt. Successive governments have slowed our economy to a grinding halt in a ruthless pursuit of a WOKE agenda. A REVOLUTION is coming… Australians are starting to fight back against the corporate and political elite that have sold and squandered our great Nation. It’s about time that government starts governing for the betterment of Australians or GET OUT and let the independent fighters that TRUELY represent their electorates and Australia have a go!!!!
Everyday, wonderful and courageous men and women of our police forces put their personal safety to the side to protect Australians. Most make it home… some, tragically, do not. Today we remember and pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
