ROSE TATTOO frontman ANGRY ANDERSON hopes to become an MP in the Australian parliament after joining the nation’s right-wing National Party.

He believes it’s the next step in his career as a community worker and political activist.

The 65-year-old singer, real name Gary Anderson, has already made a name for himself in campaigns against the introduction of a carbon tax and on regulating immigration.

He’s an advocate of supporting disadvantaged children, which has won him the Order of Australia Medal.

Later this month he’ll appear in a controversial TV series called Go Back To Where You Came From, in which he experiences a 25-day journey as a refugee.

A former left-wing Labor Party follower, Anderson is not fully committed to the values of the right, but says he’s “not going to say things in public that are going to embarrass the party.”

He explains: “If, between the party and I, we can agree, I feel I can best serve the people on the national stage. I’ve always liked big stages.

“I’m a lapsed Labor supporter. I have over the last 10 to 15 years drifted towards the conservative side of politics. I like the Nationals as a party – I like their morals and they have a strong Christian component.

“You can reach a stage like I have where you’ve done as much as you can in your profession, in my case, music. A political career becomes an extension of the community work I’m doing.”

If preselected to run for parliament, he’ll stand in the Gilmore constituency of New South Wales, which he says is close to his heart. He stood in local council elections four years ago.

ROSE TATTOO have been working on a follow-up album to 2007′s Blood Brothers, although they haven’t reported recently on developments. Anderson has said it will be the “last word” from the band.