Mr Eales and his male partner not only live in the Independent MP's Kennedy electorate, they run a cafe just a short walk from Mr Katter's electorate office in Innisfail.

Mr Eales, who operates the Goondi Hill Bakery on Edith Street, said Mr Katter's attitude towards homosexuality was not unique in far north Queensland.

But what disappointed him was Mr Katter's passionate defence on the ABC's Q&A program last night of one group in the community - banana farmers - and his apparent disregard for another: gay men.

"Young gay men have some of the highest suicide rates in the country. To feel marginalised in every respect, it must be exceedingly difficult to know, to the person who represents you, you are of no consequence," Mr Eales told The Age.

"I think it's shameful ... He never even acknowledged there are gay people in his community. There are heaps of them."

In Mr Katter's defence, Mr Eales acknowledged that his elected representive may not know a gay man when he sees one. Kennedy is a producer of grains and beef, coal, gemstones, sheep, sugar and dairy products. It has no major cities and covers a vast area - 569,000 square kilometres. Thus, it is far less than a cultural melting pot.

As a result, Mr Eales said there are "not a lot of out gay men", and the gay men who do live there tend to stay in the closet. He said views such as Mr Katter's do little to foster tolerance.

"Living in far north Queensland can feel like living in 1940s," he said.

"But it's 2010. We see young men who are clearly gay, and you think 'I hope they get out of town' otherwise they will have a life of misery ... It certainly doesn't help to have a politician with those sorts of attitudes," he said.

Although Mr Katter has never wandered in for a coffee, Mr Eales said he would have a few simple thoughts for the member for Kennedy if he visited the Goondi Hill Bakery for lunch one day.

"I would urge a sense of tolerance. And to be aware that there are diversities - we're not all banana farmers and cattle graziers.

"This attitude - 'there's no gay people in my community' - and saying it in such a way that it would be a bad thing if it is, I really don't think that's helpful to young gay men.

"How on earth are gay men going to get equal rights when our own local member denies our existence?"