The Queensland federal MP Bob Katter is playing coy over speculation he is looking to woo the former One Nation senator Fraser Anning to his party.

Anning burst on to the federal political scene in spectacular fashion, taking the spot of ousted Queensland One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts and moments after being sworn in either quit the party or was kicked out – depending on whether party leader Pauline Hanson or Anning is telling the story.

Since then, Anning has stayed relatively quiet about his intentions, saying he is content to remain on the crossbench as an independent for now.

Enter his “good mate” Katter, who has refused to hose down speculation Anning could become his party’s first federal senator, in a statement purportedly released to quell that very rumour.

After it was made known the pair were meeting for dinner on Thursday night, Katter said it was “not unusual” for them to “catch up”, given they “have been close family friends for more than 40 years and they have a lot in common”.

“I have discussions with people like Fraser Anning all the time,” Katter said in his statement.

“I would be surprised if there was anything much that Fraser and I would disagree on. We both went to the big Christian schools in Charters Towers [north Queensland]. Both of our families were in Charters Towers before there was a Charters Towers, and his family goes back even further than mine.

“We both had cattle stations; we are both businessmen and both very strong Bjelke-Petersen men and I hope that we will continue working closely together.”

Anning did not respond to requests for comment.

It is not the first time Katter’s Australian Party has flirted with taking on board disillusioned former minor party members. Its state MPs, led by Katter’s son Robbie, attempted to woo former Palmer United party MPs to their party banner before the 2015 election, but to no avail.

Queensland’s KAP has also worked on creating a crossbench voting bloc in an attempt to swing more influence in the state parliament, where Katter Sr makes frequent appearances despite his federal jurisdiction.