‘Vanishing Race’: Katter’s Plan to Boost Birth Rate Amid Mass Migration Concerns

Katter’s comments come as thousands took to the streets once again against migration policy.

Australian MP Bob Katter holds a press conference to discuss issues facing his rural electorate in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 14, 2018. Michael Masters/Getty Images

Australia’s “Father of the House” has released a video statement about his concerns with the country’s declining birth rate just after thousands of locals continued to march against migration policy.

Far from the hustle of big city marches, the federal MP for Kennedy Bob Katter called for parenthood to be celebrated and called a new incentive for mothers to receive $60,000 (US$39,000).

Existing payments to new parents do exist at a lower rate.

“The very saddest part about my country today, my Australia, is that we are a vanishing race” said Katter.

“I reckon we’re a great race of people. I really do, but we’re vanishing.

“When 20 Australians die they’re only replaced by 15 people.”

Katter reminisced about the “wild football games” that used to be played on the country oval in his town, with jokes and laughter abounding.

Australia’s fertility rate has hit a sobering 90-year low, according to data released last year.

Participants perform during the parade for the National Multicultural Festival in Canberra, Australia on Feb. 8, 2025. George Calvelo/Getty Images

“Australians are not having kids and they don’t want to not have kids, they postpone it,” Katter said.

“So what we are proposing is that a mother, on a birth, gets $60,000 in the hand and a very adequate sum of money every year thereafter.”

Katter wants to see a scheme that would help women to have children with financial incentives, income splitting, and motherhood medals.

The country’s oldest current federal MP admits the plan would cost a lot of money, but says it could be funded through initiatives like fuel production, mining development, and water infrastructure.

“But just the Bradfield and Clarence River diversion—the Bradfield scheme if you like, in New South Wales—those schemes will bring in $40 to $50 billion a year,” he said.

The schemes, initially drafted in the 1930s, would provide huge irrigation networks to provide water to some of Australia’s driest regions.

“If we, instead of importing 98 percent of our petrol as we now do, we go back to where we were in 1992 and produce all of our petrol needs here in Australia,” Katter said.

“That, plus some motor vehicle production, will give you another $50 billion—so there’s $100 billion in just two items and I can give you 100 more items.”

Katter said Australians were no longer approaching a precipice, but over it.

“We are plunging now in free-fall into certain death for our nation,” he said.

Australians Continue March Against Immigration Policy

Migration has long been a policy used to plug declining birth rates in developed countries.

Yet the estimated 446,000 net overseas arrivals between July 2023 to June 2024 have contributed to broad concerns that Australia’s services and infrastructure are being stretched, resulting in nationwide rallies on Aug. 31.

This time, thousands against took to the streets on the weekend of Sept. 13 and 14. Another “March for Australia” rally will be held on Oct. 19.

Protestors holding banners against Chinese Communist Party surveillance and supporting traditional Australian values in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 13, 2025. AAP Image/Con Chronis

In a video online, one participant who attended the Sydney march, outlined his concerns with migration policy to ABC’s reporter Ian Macnamara who asked what had to say about claims the rallies were racist?

Steve Adams was critical of ABC reports so far which he felt framed the rallies in a negative light, even before the “anti-immigration” was phrase was used.

“There is no anti-immigration march,” Adams told the reporter.

“People want it to stop for now, so you put it in a context which is false.”

Adams said he was a migrant himself, having come from Scotland as a child.

“It’s about Australia and the economy that we have and the situation we have, the demographic we have, the sustainability we can have while having immigration,” he said.

James Ashby of the nationalist One Nation party took to social media to say attendees were tired of being labelled as racist.

“We’re just trying to simply say through these marches, to the politicians-wake up, listen to people, stop calling us racist, stop calling us bigots because we’re calling for a massive ease-up on mass migration,” he said.

Former PM Says Migrant Debate Can Feel ‘Personal’

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the debate could often be sensitive or feel “personal” because many people were descended from migrants.

“But it’s more than possible to be pro-migrant without supporting an ever-larger and an ever-more-diverse immigration program.

“Indeed, given that migrants choose to come to their new home, there should be no expectation, in making migrants welcome, that they be allowed to reshape their new countries to resemble their old ones.”

‘Whipping up Fear’: Greens

Opponents of the pro-Australia rallies say they feed into “extremist views.”

Greens immigration spokesman David Shoebridge has been heavily critical, blaming parliament and the media for pushing “anti-migrant rhetoric.”

“Too often, the policies and discourse in Australian politics seek to divide and whip up fear,” he said in a statement on Aug. 29.

“This has real-world implications, and we are unfortunately watching that in real time now.

“Immigration and welcoming new friends, workmates and family to this country only strengthens us as a nation, and it helps build a better and richer society for us all.”

Shoebridge termed those attending rallies as “a handful of bigots.”