Katter’s Party Supports Caning and Lethal Force in Homes
A Queensland political party has suggested implementing caning as a form of punishment for criminals, similar to methods used in countries like Singapore.
Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) has gained attention during the Queensland election campaign for proposing changes to abortion laws, and now the party is also proposing caning as a potential punishment for offenders.
The party is advocating for Castle Law, which would permit the use of lethal force against home intruders. KAP’s Barron River candidate has specifically recommended the use of caning for both child and adult offenders.
“Caning is a punishment utilized in Singapore; if we look at their crime rate, it is significantly low, indicating that they are employing effective measures. Therefore, adults should also be subject to caning,” the candidate stated in Cairns.
The candidate also strongly supports Castle Law, which has garnered over 40,000 signatures of support.
“Empowering individuals in their homes to defend against criminals is crucial,” he emphasized.
However, a bill proposing this law was not introduced for debate in parliament last month.
Candidate’s Criminal Background
The KAP campaign leading up to the October 26 election has come under scrutiny due to the criminal past of some of its candidates.
On October 21, Kawana MP Jarrod Bleijie disclosed details about KAP’s Mundingburra candidate Michael Pugh, who was involved in a home invasion using a bayonet while attempting to collect a drug debt.
“Pugh threatened the residents not to report to the police, or else he would return and harm them,” Bleijie revealed. “It is unprecedented for the Katter party to nominate a candidate with a history of breaking into homes with a weapon to collect drug debts.”
Pugh has admitted to charges of break-and-enter and theft with violence in his younger years.
Katter Adjusts Stance on Abortion
Meanwhile, KAP leader Robbie Katter has moderated his approach towards introducing legislation to reverse abortion reforms enacted by the Labor government.
In early October, Katter had announced intentions to repeal these reforms, making abortion a contentious topic in the state election, overshadowing discussions on crime and living expenses.
During the final candidate debate on October 22, Premier Steven Miles questioned Opposition Leader David Crisafulli of the Liberal National Party (LNP) about his personal views on abortion.
Crisafulli reiterated his support for a woman’s right to choose. This came even after Katter clarified that his bill would primarily focus on providing medical care to babies born alive after an abortion and not on reversing broader abortion reforms.
Crisafulli criticized Katter as “inconsistent,” stating, “The narrative keeps changing. The only consistent stance has been from the LNP—it rejects any changes to abortion laws in Queensland. Katter and the government are equally inconsistent.”
