Whitsunday MP pushes separate North Queensland sta...
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THE push for a separate state in North Queensland is again on the agenda with Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan announcing his party's statehood policy. Mr Costigan said if his North Queensland First party won the balance of power at the October 31 election, he would push for a referendum to be held in November 2022, with the view to forming a new state in 2024. Mr Costigan said the new state would include areas of central, north and far north Queensland. His preference is for the coastal border to be at the mouth of Baffle Creek, between Bundaberg and Gladstone, with the western boundary extending south of Longreach and Boulia to the Northern Territory border. Dubbing the area 'the reef state,' Mr Costigan said residents who were sick of getting the scraps left after south east Queensland was prioritised, should get on board. "It's the most comprehensive and detailed plan for separation in generations, but it can only happen if North Queensland First secures the balance of power at the state election," Mr Costigan said. The announcement drew criticism from long-time separate state advocate and Katter's Australian Party leader Robbie Katter who called Mr Costigan a hypocrite. He said Mr Costigan's announcement was the height of hypocrisy after he blocked the KAP's attempts to fund a study into the idea when he was a member of the LNP. In 2018, Mr Katter invited MPs and mayors north of Rockhampton to sign a request to the Premier to fund an independent investigation into the creation of a new NQ state and formulate a secession plan, but both major parties rejected the move. READ MORE: Kim Coghlan calls out Policelink on deferring crime reporting to website. While you are here, subscribe to our weekly email delivered to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday.
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September 22 2020 - 3:21PM
THE push for a separate state in North Queensland is again on the agenda with Whitsunday MP Jason Costigan announcing his party's statehood policy.
Mr Costigan said if his North Queensland First party won the balance of power at the October 31 election, he would push for a referendum to be held in November 2022, with the view to forming a new state in 2024.
Mr Costigan said the new state would include areas of central, north and far north Queensland.
His preference is for the coastal border to be at the mouth of Baffle Creek, between Bundaberg and Gladstone, with the western boundary extending south of Longreach and Boulia to the Northern Territory border.
Dubbing the area 'the reef state,' Mr Costigan said residents who were sick of getting the scraps left after south east Queensland was prioritised, should get on board.
"It's the most comprehensive and detailed plan for separation in generations, but it can only happen if North Queensland First secures the balance of power at the state election," Mr Costigan said.
The announcement drew criticism from long-time separate state advocate and Katter's Australian Party leader Robbie Katter who called Mr Costigan a hypocrite.
He said Mr Costigan's announcement was the height of hypocrisy after he blocked the KAP's attempts to fund a study into the idea when he was a member of the LNP. In 2018, Mr Katter invited MPs and mayors north of Rockhampton to sign a request to the Premier to fund an independent investigation into the creation of a new NQ state and formulate a secession plan, but both major parties rejected the move.