# Robert Carl Katter

Robert Carl Katter (22 MAY 1945); child of Robert Cummin Katter and Mabel Joan Horn; born in Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia; parent of 1 child.

**Lifespan:** 22 MAY 1945 – ?

## Parents
- [Robert Cummin Katter](/p/robert-cummin-katter-52280.md) (father)
- [Mabel Joan Horn](/p/mabel-joan-horn-52283.md) (mother)

## Spouses
- _unknown partner_ — m. 1970

## Children
- [Robert Ignatius Katter](/p/robert-ignatius-katter-52284.md)

## Timeline
- 22 MAY 1945 — **Born** at Cloncurry, Queensland, Australia
- FROM 7 DEC 1974 TO 19 SEP 1992 — **Member for Flinders, Queensland Legislative Assembly** at Queensland, Australia — Elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland for the north Queensland district of Flinders at the 1974 state election, as a member of the Country Party. He sat for the seat continuously from 7 December 1974 to 19 September 1992. Following the abolition of the electoral district of Flinders in 1992 he retired from state politics and did not contest the 1992 election.
- FROM 7 NOV 1983 TO 6 FEB 1986 — **Queensland Minister for Northern Development and Aboriginal and Island Affairs** at Queensland, Australia — First ministerial appointment, in the government of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. He held the portfolio from 7 November 1983 until it was reconstituted on 6 February 1986.
- FROM 6 FEB 1986 TO 1 DEC 1987 — **Queensland Minister for Northern Development and Community Services** at Queensland, Australia — Second portfolio, in the government of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, held from 6 February 1986 to 1 December 1987.
- FROM 9 DEC 1987 TO 19 JAN 1989 — **Queensland Minister for Northern Development, Community Services and Ethnic Affairs** at Queensland, Australia — Third portfolio, held from 9 December 1987 to 19 January 1989 in the government of Premier Mike Ahern.
- FROM 19 JAN 1989 TO 28 AUG 1989 — **Queensland Minister for Community Services and Ethnic Affairs** at Queensland, Australia — Fourth portfolio, held from 19 January 1989 in the government of Premier Mike Ahern. On 28 August 1989 he resigned from Ahern's cabinet, together with fellow ministers Russell Cooper and Paul Clauson.
- FROM 25 SEP 1989 TO 7 DEC 1989 — **Queensland Minister for Mines and Energy and Minister for Northern and Regional Development** at Queensland, Australia — Returned to cabinet on 25 September 1989 in the government of Premier Russell Cooper. His term as a minister ended following the National Party's defeat at the 1989 Queensland state election.
- FROM 29 JAN 1991 — **Queensland Opposition Spokesperson for Transport, Ports and Marine** at Queensland, Australia — Shadow portfolio held in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 29 January 1991. He had earlier served as a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee of Privileges from 6 March 1990.
- FROM 13 MAR 1993 — **Member for Kennedy, Australian House of Representatives** at Queensland, Australia — Won his father's former Queensland seat of Kennedy in the House of Representatives at the 1993 federal election, defeating Rob Hulls, and has held it continuously since 13 March 1993 across twelve parliaments (the 37th to the 48th). The Parliamentary Handbook records his terms of service for Kennedy beginning 13 March 1993, 13 March 1996, 3 October 1998, 10 November 2001, 9 October 2004, 24 November 2007, 21 August 2010, 7 September 2013, 2 July 2016, 18 May 2019, 21 May 2022 and 3 May 2025. He has sat successively for the National Party of Australia, as an Independent, and for Katter's Australian Party.
- FROM 8 JUL 2001 TO 27 SEP 2011 — **Independent Member for Kennedy** at Queensland, Australia — Resigned from the National Party in the lead-up to the 2001 federal election over policy disagreements and moved to the crossbench. The Parliamentary Handbook records his party affiliation as Independent from 8 July 2001 to 27 September 2011. He retained Kennedy as an independent at the general elections of 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010.
- 5 JUN 2011 — **Founder, Katter's Australian Party** — On 5 June 2011 he launched a new political party, Katter's Australian Party, which he said would "unashamedly represent agriculture". The Queensland Parliament former members register dates the party's formation to 27 September 2011, and the Parliamentary Handbook records his own party affiliation changing to Katter's Australian Party on that same date, the public launch and the party's formal establishment being separate steps.
- FROM 5 JUN 2011 TO 3 FEB 2020 — **Leader of Katter's Australian Party** — Foundation leader of Katter's Australian Party from 5 June 2011 until 3 February 2020, when he was succeeded as leader by Robbie Katter.
- FROM 11 APR 2022 — **Father of the House of Representatives** — Became Father of the House of Representatives on 11 April 2022, as the longest-serving member of the Australian Parliament, following the retirement of Kevin Andrews.

---
Canonical HTML: https://smallworld.stallman.net.au/p/robert-carl-katter-52279