Cox denies KAP invite to defect

PAULINE Hanson’s One Nation’s Queensland deputy leader Sam Cox says he has not been invited to defect to Katter’s Australian Party.

Mr Cox, who narrowly lost in his bid for the seat of Burdekin at last year’s state election, said he had kept in contact with KAP MPs Shane Knuth and Robbie Katter but insisted they had not approached him about joining the party.

His comments join speculation around whether KAP is attempting to recruit former One Nation senator Fraser Anning after he met with Kennedy MP and party leader Bob Katter on Wednesday night.

Mr Cox, who was the LNP’s Member for Thuringowa from 2012 to 2015, said his political career was “on ice”.

“I’ve kept in contact with Shane and Robbie but purely from a North Queensland basis – whether they do ( approach) or don’t I don’t know,” he said. “I think ( Senator Anning) may take Bob’s ( Katter) spot if he’s retiring. That’s just me linking dots, it’s getting close to the election.”

Bob Katter said he and Senator Anning had been close family friends for 40 years.

“I have discussions with people like Fraser Anning all the time,” he said.

“I would be surprised if there was anything much that Fraser and I would disagree on, we both went to the big Christian schools in Charters Towers.

“We both had cattle stations, we are both business men and both very strong Bjelke- Petersen men and I hope that we will continue working closely together.”