An Australian MP has linked the countryโs vote on same-sex marriage to crocodile attacks in North Queensland in a transition so unlikely it has to be seen to be believed.
Bob Katter made the remarks on Wednesday after the results of a national survey showed Australians backed the law-change, but the absurdity of his performance for the press didnโt fully resonate until Sunday when it was singled out on the ABCโs Insider programme.
Katter, who is no stranger to controversy, began by seemingly softening his stance on the issue, speaking in short breathless bursts, with a jolly expression.
โI mean, you know, people are entitled to their sexual proclivities, you know, I mean,โ he announced, while raising his hands above his head in mock alarm, before continuing: โLet there be a thousand blossoms bloom. As far as Iโm concerned, you know...โ
Katter then changed gears with his face raging into a storm of contempt...
As he prepared to add a crocodile curve-ball to the equation:
โBut I aint spending any time on it, because in the meantime every three months a person is torn to pieces by a crocodile in North Queensland.โโ
Video of his remarks have since gone viral, with one commentator saying she โlaughed so loudโ she โwoke up the dogโ.
Others tried to unpick the link between same-sex marriage and crocodile attacks, opining that there must be more to Katterโs story.
A Donald Trump comparison was made and an equally confusing phrase was rolled out: โWhat the didgeridoo did he just say?โ.
A didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians.
Crocodileโs have long been a thorn in Katterโs side and heโs campaigned for the reptile to be culled in northern Queensland where theyโve killed 11 people since 1985, according to government authorities.
The independent MP is no stranger to making bizarre comments and justifications. In August he made a claim so preposterous it could have come from an Austin Powers script. He accused homosexuals of stealing the word โgayโ, which he happened to be, very fond of.
He told Sky News at the time, gay, was โthe most beautiful word in the English languageโ.
In explaining his position, Katter quoted part of Alexander Popeโs 18th Century poem The Rape of the Lock - โBelinda smiled, and all the world was gayโ - and said he now felt a โbeautiful imageโ had been โtakenโ.
The previous year Katter rattled his political rivals with a video depicting him killing them.
Katterโs Kennedy electorate was one of 17 that voted against legalising same sex marriage.
Australiaโs other 133 electorates backed it, giving the Yes campaign a nationwide majority of 61.6%.