Everyone agrees Bob Katter is a passionate man.
But whether he can negotiate is another matter entirely.
Supporters and opponents of the eccentric Queensland independent MP have warned Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott compromise is not his forte.
Whether he's arguing for gun ownership, industry protection, regulated ethanol standards or economic rationalism, no one wants to debate the Akubra-wearing political cowboy.
"You don't debate. He has his agenda and no one's going to be able to infiltrate that," chair of the National Coalition for Gun Control Samantha Lee said.
Arguing for gun ownership restrictions, Ms Lee has faced off with Mr Katter several times on breakfast television program Sunrise.
Struggling to get a word in around the man she describes as being like a "crazy uncle", discussion with Mr Katter was almost pointless.
"You don't debate, really, he goes off on his own tangent," Ms Lee said.
But it's not just his opponents who claim Mr Katter has closed ears.
Canegrowers Association CEO Ian Ballantyne has dealt with Mr Katter for 20 years, since his time as a state MP where he once served in the ministry of Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
"Bob is really honest and an emotional advocate for the people he represents," Mr Ballantyne said.
"Bob's failings would be that he's not a details man. He will often get only part of a story and respond and react to that.
"I've never seen Bob willing to listen at all.
"He'll listen to the bits he wants to and then he'll form a view. It's very hard, very difficult [to get him] to move on from that point."
Mr Ballantyne said the outcast MP was often not "rational and sensible", however, his argument that there was disconnect between government and regions was "spot on".
Mr Katter moved to federal politics in 1993 as a member of the Nationals but quit in 2001, citing disenchantment with the party.
On Saturday, he attracted almost 70 per cent of the vote in his north Queensland seat.
Mt Isa Mayor John Molony said the popular MP would handle this week's negotiations with Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott well.
"This could be one of the defining moments of Bob as a politician," Councilllor Molony said.
"The strain would be tremendous but Bob's accustomed to living on the edge like this."
Close friend Fred Frost predicted a tough battle for the party leaders but said Mr Katter would have his electorate at the forefront of his mind.
"You might want to ask the others how they are going the handle Bob, it will be stressful for them," Mr Frost said.
Holding the balance of power would be one of the highlights of his friend's career.
"He's not looking at it as a power thing but as having more of a say," Mr Frost said.
"He will say if you want my vote, then this is the deal.
"He never backs off, he's so passionate about his electorate and the people in it."
But Mr Ballantyne said it was that love for his electorate that often made Mr Katter irrational.
"Bob is a populist, he's fundamentally a populist," Mr Ballantyne said.
"He says what the people want to hear and he's not always able to back it up with fact or delivery."
A local company fighting to establish a sand mine near Walsh River on the outskirts of Mareeba, west of Cairns, have also faced the man who calls himself The Force From the North.
Tableland Earthmoving and Raw Materials project manager Dave Neenan has known Mr Katter for years - and has even voted for him.
But his impressions of the straight-talking man have changed since attempting to deal with him.
"Bob basically makes his own mind up about something and he doesn't flinch from his stance," Mr Neenan said.
"He's got his mind made up before he goes into discussions.
"I respect his stance on things but I do have difficulties with the way he goes about his business. I would speak to both parties before I came to a decision on something."
But a local conservation group against the new sand mine said while their ally was "forceful", he was also "passionate".
"If he's passionate about what he believes in, [he is] very easy, very encouraging [to work with]," Save the Walsh Action Group spokesman Kevin Bartlett said.
''He is very forceful, he likes to put his point forward.
"He's reasonable and he understands the most important things, like our issue."
Mr Neenan said while he disagreed with Mr Katter's tact, he had his own theory why the veteran parliamentarian was unwavering when he made up his mind.
"When you've been knocking your head against a brick wall for so long you become hard-headed," Mr Neenan said.
"Negotiation might not be one of his strongest points [but] he pushes what he believes and he pushes very hard."
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