ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

A supercomputer at the heart of ABC’s Fact Checking Unit has reportedly exploded this afternoon after a staff member gave it the task of fact-checking each part of Bob Katter’s press conference today.

Around lunchtime today [AEST] Katter spoke to the media today in Cairns, despite it being a sitting day for both Houses in Canberra, where he made a number of claims about everything from the foundation of the City of Cairns, his own personal heritage and the nation’s immigration policy.

Over the course of roughly 20 minutes, the Member for Kennedy allegedly made upwards of 400 claims that needed to be verified.

About an hour after Katter was done talking, a taxpayer-funded employee of the public broadcaster finished typing the speech into the Fact Checking Computer and pressed ‘enter’.

“That’s when the fire alarm went off,” said the head of ABC’s Fact Checking Unit, Harriet Fuller.

Ms Fuller spoke to The Advocate via public telephone a short time ago.

“The whole building shook violently. My green tea spilled all over my desk. I looked around at my coworkers and we all traded worried looks. Then the office started to fill with smoke and the fire warden came in and told us all to get the hell out,”

“I believe the supercomputer exploded after one of my staff asked it to fact check everything Bob Katter said today. They really should’ve broken it up into smaller bits. I don’t know much more, I’ll get back to you later.”

From what witnesses have been able to describe, a large hole was blown out the north side of the ABC Kremlin in Ultimo, in the heart of Sydney’s soulless district.

Emergency crews are currently attending the scene with no reports of casualties at the time of print.