The Katter’s Australian Party has laced up its footy boots and attempted a field goal in its push for a separate “North Queensland” state, with leader Robbie Katter trying to draw an analogy last night with the creation of the North Queensland Cowboys.
“The NRL at that time said that the empirical evidence said we should not have a team up there. You don’t have the finances, the resources, the commercial activity, the player base to support a team … Well, it did [happen]. We built a team, we built a player base, businesses got in behind it, [we’ve] got a great new stadium now. It played the other Queensland team to create a terrific Queensland contest in the grand final and won that, won the national championship.
Robbie Katter
“The NRL nationally is better for the Cowboys from expanding, dividing and creating that other second Queensland team. That is the metaphor for what we can do for Australia and for Queensland.”
Making clear in his reply there would be no support from his party, Cairns-based Labor minister Michael Healy said – perhaps with his tongue in his cheek – that without more detail “we can only make the cruel assumption that it’s going to be more politicians and more bureaucracy”.
“Now, I want to make it abundantly clear that I think we should be looking at reducing government, if anything. Whether we look at getting rid of councils or … getting rid of regional councils … maybe we should look at other ways of increasing efficiencies.”
Hinchinbrook KAP MP Nick Dametto tried to make the case a different way: “If you actually separated the state of Queensland right now, the Labor Party might actually have a chance of winning government in the next Queensland election.”
The motion was voted down by both Labor and the LNP, with only Katter, Dametto, KAP Hill MP Shane Knuth and One Nation Mirani MP Stephen Andrew voting in favour.
Rugby league fans might rule that a No Try.
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