topic Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter in Community Spirit

Bob Katter Mad Hatter

icyfroth — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 06:28:50 GMT

Australia's famous Kat in the Hat may soon be no more.

Federal MP Bob Katter is considering hanging up his signature Akubra because he's hopping mad about the hat maker's decision to ditch its Australian rabbit skin suppliers to cut costs.

Mr Katter is possibly the country's most prominent Akubra fan, wearing the wide-brimmed head wear everywhere he goes.

So he's hoping it doesn't get to the point where he has to take his hat off.

"I believe in Akubra ... I remain entirely hopeful they will put Australian content back into their formulation," he told AAP.

Akubra plans to source all its rabbit skins from Europe, primarily France and Belgium, because it has become too costly and difficult to produce and cut them in Australia.

Chief financial officer Roy Wilkinson said the company had been using mostly imported skins for years anyway, as domestic supplies had dwindled after the introduction of rabbit calicivirus disease.

He said Akubra had no choice to go abroad as demand was increasing.

"We simply can't get supply (in Australia)," he said.

But Mr Katter didn't buy that argument.

"If they can't find a source of rabbits in Australia I will help them out because we have about 30 living in our street in Charters Towers," he said.

Mr Katter owns six Akubras but says he will resort to wearing another brand of wide brim hat if the Australian rabbit skins are ditched.

He said Australians bought Akubras for "style and image" and didn't care about paying an extra few dollars to support local suppliers.

And the maverick MP obviously thinks the Akubra is pretty stylish, given he last year gave one to big hat-loving hiphopper Pharrell Williams.

What the?They can't source rabbits in Australia? Must be joking! Like Bob Katter, we have dozens of them in the streets around here at work.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

lionrose.7 — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 06:55:16 GMT

Geez Bob there is a few here in NZ we want to give you, come on over 🙂

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

serendipityricho — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 07:23:22 GMT

Icy-Akubra hats are an Aussie icon.

Had my latest one for 20+ years -wear it every day.

Geez--if it could tell stories ......lol.

Bit weather beaten and a few badges stuck on it.

Feel naked if i go out the door without it on........................................Richo.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

imastawka — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 07:46:42 GMT

Akubra state it takes between 10 and 14 rabbits to make one hat

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

serendipityricho — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 07:55:45 GMT

Stawka--enough rabbits about to make the hats-think the labour costs are the problem.

Lots of different styles-i prefer the...snowy river.

Bob Katters hat style should all be exported to Texas.

The other one i have never liked was the one worn

by the ..bush tucker man .Les Hiddens.................................................Richo.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

lind9650 — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 08:00:05 GMT

AUstralian Governmet should give liscenses for people to be able to breed rabbits under controlled conditions, just for the purose of supplying Acubra with the pelts.

Also lots of people would buy the killed rabbits to cook some delicious meals.

It would give lots of unemployed people the opportunity to start their own little business and have an income better than the Centerlink payments, and Acubra would not have to look for overseas suppliers.

JMHO, Erica

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

lionrose.7 — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 08:11:09 GMT

So people want to wear Bunnies on their head, why do I find this so funny

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

imastawka — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 08:26:23 GMT

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

punch*drunk — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:22:17 GMT

Stawka--enough rabbits about to make the hats-think the labour costs are the problem.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. We sell lambswool moccasins at work, made from Australian lambswool, but we ship it to China to make the moccies and then have them shipped back here. Its hard to imagine how that could be cost effective but obviously it is.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

icyfroth — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:34:48 GMT

@lind9650 wrote:
AUstralian Governmet should give liscenses for people to be able to breed rabbits under controlled conditions, just for the purose of supplying Acubra with the pelts.
Also lots of people would buy the killed rabbits to cook some delicious meals.

It would give lots of unemployed people the opportunity to start their own little business and have an income better than the Centerlink payments, and Acubra would not have to look for overseas suppliers.

JMHO, Erica

I know, Erica it's ridiculous when we have a plague of rabbits here in Aus but we can't use them to manufacture the iconic Akubra hat.

I guess I can understand it in a way, because if they're running around in the bush whose going to round them up and do the dirty work.

But still.

You'd think someone would be able to breed enough to keep the hat business going.

I guess it's easier to collect the dole.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

icyfroth — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:36:51 GMT

@punch*drunk wrote:
Stawka--enough rabbits about to make the hats-think the labour costs are the problem.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. We sell lambswool moccasins at work, made from Australian lambswool, but we ship it to China to make the moccies and then have them shipped back here. Its hard to imagine how that could be cost effective but obviously it is.

The world has gone mad.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

icyfroth — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:41:55 GMT

@serendipityricho wrote:
Icy-Akubra hats are an Aussie icon.

Had my latest one for 20+ years -wear it every day.
Geez--if it could tell stories ......lol.

Bit weather beaten and a few badges stuck on it.

Feel naked if i go out the door without it on........................................Richo.

My son-in-law in Mackay loves his Akubra too, Richo.

He's a typical Northern Qlder and won't go out without his hat.

I found an excellent Akubra on the kerbside for council pickup a while ago. As new. Trouble is it doesn't fit anyone at size 59 it's too big. It's a Gymkhana.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

lloydslights — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 09:59:53 GMT

Icy, if you still have the hat, try this:

How to make your hat smaller

For a more precise fit (and a really easy one at that, that doesn’t require sewing!), follow these instructions:

You need: your hat, scissors, Draught Excluding adhesive tape.

Measure how wide the sweatband on the inside of the hat is. Before properly affixing, try it out and tuck it behind the sweatband and put the hat on to see the fit. If the hat is really big, you can put two strips on top of each other at the back (never at the front).

Take your hat and peel back the sweatband starting at the back of the hat.

Apply the strip with the sticky side down to the inside of your hat. Press down on the foam strip to secure it.

Fold the sweatband back up and if you measured it right, it should be invisible behind the band.

DEB

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

skyrider12-au — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:03:52 GMT

@lionrose.7 wrote:
So people want to wear Bunnies on their head, why do I find this so funny

the baldies wear them because at a distance they look like ~~hairs~~ hares....

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

electric*mayhem*band — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 10:55:17 GMT

AKUBRA HAT - FOR THE USE OF.

(With obligatory cork trimmings).

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

imastawka — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 11:01:37 GMT

Hey, emb, ya do know no-one wears corks on their hats here? Hmmm?

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

ecar3483 — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 12:11:15 GMT

Bob, I understand you feel strongly about this but swapping the signature Akubra for a sombrero...?

LOL

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

electric*mayhem*band — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 12:33:20 GMT

@imastawka wrote:
Hey, emb, ya do know no-one wears corks on their hats here? Hmmm?

Rubbish, Stawkas. Here's the proof.

Re: Bob Katter Mad Hatter

icyfroth — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 23:21:04 GMT

That's a great tip thanks, Deb. I'd love to be able to wear the hat, it's a very handsome hat: