Bob Katter may boycott Akubra hats over rabbit fur row
- Published
Bob Katter says it will be a "tragedy" if Akubra vanishes as an Australian brand
Australian MP Bob Katter said he may hang up his trademark Akubra hat after the company said it was going to start using only foreign rabbit fur.
The broad-brimmed felt hats have been produced in Australia for more than 130 years, although Akubra has been using some imported furs since the 1990s.
But the company plans to close its local rabbit processing operation to cut costs.
Mr Katter, an independent Queensland federal MP, said he was "hopping mad".
Bad example
"It would be a terrible tragedy if one of those great icons vanishes," Mr Katter told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
"In all seriousness I will consider my options," he said.
"It does not set a good example and it does not set me with a desire to continue to wear an Akubra hat, and that would be something that would be shared with so many other people."
Akubra chief financial officer Roy Wilkinson said he spoke briefly with Mr Katter on Thursday morning.
"Our factory still employs 85 Australians, we're still Australian-made, and we hope [Mr Katter] still supports us," Mr Wilkinson told the BBC.
Akubra hats, as seen in the Crocodile Dundee films, are still made by the same family after more than a century
Akubra brand
In 1874, English-born Benjamin Dunkerley started making the hats in Tasmania but the Akubra trade name wasn't introduced until 1912.
Each hat uses as many as 16 rabbits, with annual company demand of up to three million pelts
About 85% of sales are made in Australia
An Akubra is a common gift given to foreign dignitaries
The company says it believes Akubra is an Aboriginal word for head covering
Mr Wilkinson said the fifth-generation family-owned business was committed to manufacturing in Australia but had been forced to make a commercial decision.
Prince William wore an Akubra during his 2011 visit to Queensland
He said a number of factors had influenced Akubra's decision, including a lack of Australian rabbits and competing with a high demand for fur in China.
"We can't get enough rabbits to do what we do," Mr Wilkinson said.
"The Chinese market has driven up the price dramatically, up almost 300% overnight," he said.
Husband of former UK PM Margaret Thatcher, Denis, wore an Akubra in Perth in 1988
The furs will be predominately sourced from France, Belgium and the Ukraine.
Mr Katter is almost always pictured wearing or carrying an Akubra hat.
Last year, he showed his support for the brand when he presented celebrity musician Pharrell with his very own Akubra, later tweeting:, external: "You will wear it well mate."
- Published21 July 2014
