Bring it on I say
Rob Katter pushes to split Queensland into two states
2/15
ABC News
Chris O'Brien1 hour ago
© ABC News Mount Isa MP Katter wants Queensland split into two states. Katter's Australian Party is pushing ahead with its call to split Queensland into two states, proposing a boundary be decided by the Queensland Redistribution Commission or another independent body.
Rob Katter will move to debate the idea in Parliament tonight.
"I give notice that I shall move that the Queensland Legislative Assembly supports in accordance with section 124 of the Commonwealth constitution the separation of Queensland into two states," he said.
"That the boundary of the two states is to be as recommended by an independent body such as the current Queensland Redistribution Commission."
The constitution, section S124, allows a state parliament to approve the separation of that state.
However, even if the motion is passed it would not be a binding decision — just an expression of MPs' opinions.
Mr Katter said if that happened, the next step would be to bring in legislation.
"If the house decides to support this as a principle then we'd be motivated to take it further [with legislation] down the track," he said.
But fellow party member Shane Knuth was not confident the motion would pass.
"We've got quite a few south-east Queensland MPs in the house and I don't think the numbers are going to stack up, but we're going to put the fight on," Mr Knuth said.
Cairns-based independent MP Rob Pyne supports the split, which has been discussed many times.
"Townsville has the V8s and the Cowboys, I think the administrative capital would be well placed in the tropical city of Cairns," Mr Pyne said.
"But this is a very serious issue because Cairns has very high unemployment, and many administrative positions [of government] are in Brisbane."
Mr Katter has previously told the ABC the split was needed to address what he described as a "sinkhole" of funding to "keep building aquariums in Brisbane and office buildings and to buy votes".
The recent LNP state convention voted down a motion to pursue the idea, although it was backed by senior MPs Ian Macdonald and George Christensen.
