Media Release

LONG-TIME advocate of a separate north Queensland state, Kennedy MP, Bob Katter has welcomed the support of Jenny Hill, the Mayor of north Queensland’s biggest city – Townsville, for the cause.

Mr Katter said a referendum for a separate territory of north Queensland should take place at the next local government elections in Queensland, in 2024.

“The ballot paper should ask north Queensland residents whether they want to become a territory, as a first step towards statehood,” he said.

“I believe this will easily get a majority of votes, and most importantly we will still be able to play State of Origin with Queensland.”

Mr Katter agreed with Jenny Hill’s reasoning for a north Queensland state, saying it was patently obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes that the northern region missed out when compared to Brisbane.

“The south-east corner would have more than 200 overpasses, and yet we only have 13 up in north Queensland,” he said.

“They have a $1 billion building, the tower of power, just to house their government workers and bureaucrats. They are building a second motorway to the Gold Coast, whereas we have a one-lane, goat-track called the Bruce Highway, and the Flinders Highway is falling apart.

“We are the only area on earth where nearly one-million people are governed by a government 1,500 kilometres away. This can’t continue.

“If north Queensland was a separate country it would be the richest country on earth, with all its coal, the bulk of Australia’s copper and silver-lead-zinc deposits, almost all of our bauxite, and it would be the wettest country on earth. And yet the governments in Canberra and Brisbane have failed to recognise this. They haven’t built the Galilee rail line, Hells Gates Dam or the superhighways that we require.

“The political momentum is building, now is the time for us to break free and flourish.”

—ENDS—