Katter kicks off election campaign with jab at major parties for selling nation off to China BOB Katter has leapt into the election fray with a spirited attack on the major parties, who he claims are selling the nation off to China. Public ownership of railways, a canal in the Gulf of Carpentaria and a return of the old-style government-run insurance officers are just some of the items on the agenda of the founder and head of Katter's Australian Party. Mr Katter told a press conference in Townsvillehe had 53 confirmed candidates, but that he expected that number could double in the week ahead. "Please god we will have 100 candidates across Australia," Mr Katter said. While he is appreciative of the role of minor parties in the election, including Clive Palmer's United Party, no deals had been done on preferences. Mr Katter said the two party system almost guaranteed the Coalition and Labor would be the big winners at the election, but that KAP would provide the checks and balances to ensure an alternative voice was heard. The man who holds the northern seat of Kennedy said it was clear there was a push by Chinese interests to get freehold land in Australia rather than mere land leases. Mr Katter said he was not opposed to foreign ownership of land, but said Australian companies and organisations should be both buying the land and developing the infrastructure. Referring back to his days as a National Party minister in Queensland's old Bjelke Petersen Government, he said: "We never sold a damn thing." Ports, roads and rail were owned by the government Mr Katter said. Our policy was build and own, not sell and sack. ends.