MAVERICK federal MP Bob Katter’s new party could soon have a state representative, with Member for Burnett Rob Messenger in talks with his representatives.

Mr Katter launched his new party, Katter’s Australian Party, at the weekend and said he was looking for people to stand in state and federal elections.

Mr Messenger, who now holds his seat as an independent after splitting with the LNP last year, was soon linked to the new party and yesterday he said initial talks he had with officials had interested him.

He has already set up a meeting with Mr Katter’s representatives in Brisbane on Tuesday to discuss possibilities.

Mr Messenger said he was intrigued by the party model.

“I told them I didn’t want to get approval from somebody every time I sent out a press release,” he said.

Mr Messenger said party officials had explained to him it would be a party in which members could take opposing views on issues.

“The common glue is a set of core values and principles,” he said.

“The model allows for a group of like-minded individuals to work together under a single brand, but to act like independents in their own electorates.”

Mr Messenger said he was heartened by Mr Katter’s commitment to breaking the duopoly of Woolworths and Coles and stopping free trade, the carbon tax and privatisation of state assets.

But he also wanted a pre-emptive ban on Islamic sharia law, a commitment to stopping boat people or sending them back as soon as they arrived in Australia and a dramatic increase in the size of the defence forces.

He said the two issues of greatest importance to him were a Royal Commission into political corruption and a scheme to give a greater share of mining royalties to the regions.

“If Bob follows through with his commitment to bring about a revolution to the traditional Australian political party system where every vote – apart from core values – is a vote of conscience and members are expected to put their electorate first, then it’s worth listening to and considering,” he said.

Mr Katter said he would be happy to talk to Mr Messenger about him joining the party, adding the MP seemed to match most of his party’s criteria and conditions.

“I would be more than happy to talk to Rob, and I can’t say that about many members of state parliament,” he said.