State of North Queensland facts for kids

North Queensland is an idea for a new state in the northern part of Queensland. It would be a separate state, not just a region. However, the two main political parties in Queensland do not currently support this idea.

History of the Idea

The Constitution of Australia says that new states can be made from existing ones. But the parliament of the original state must agree.

Back in 1852, a man named John Dunmore Lang wrote a book. In his book, he suggested dividing the future colony of Queensland into three parts.

Later, in July 1882, a group of business people in Townsville first pushed for North Queensland to become its own state.

Some people who grew sugar in North Queensland really wanted a separate state. They felt their way of life was threatened by disagreements in South Queensland about how workers were treated. One idea for the border is the 22nd parallel south. This line would run just south of Sarina on the coast. It would then go to the Northern Territory border, between Boulia and Mount Isa.

Queensland with the 22nd parallel south line. This line shows where the proposed state of North Queensland might be.

In 2010, a newspaper called The Courier-Mail reported something interesting. Most mayors in North Queensland wanted to separate from the rest of Queensland. Only two out of 100 leaders at a local government meeting were against it.

In 2013, a social expert named Bernard Salt made a prediction. He said that Townsville would become a big city by 2026. He also noted that fewer people live in Tasmania than in North Queensland.

This map shows different ideas for how Queensland could be divided.

Some well-known people support the idea of a North Queensland state. These include historian Geoffrey Blainey, and politicians Bob Katter and former member Clive Palmer.

One plan suggested that North Queensland would have about 785,890 people. This is a bit more than Tasmania's population. But it is less than South Australia's. In terms of size, it would be 735,300 square kilometres. This would make it bigger than Victoria but smaller than New South Wales. If North Queensland became a state, Queensland would become the third largest state or territory in Australia.

In the elections of 2016 and 2020, Katter's Australian Party tried to split Queensland into two states. Also in 2016, the Liberal National Party of Queensland voted against holding a public vote on the matter.

However, politician Bill Byrne thinks a North Queensland state might not be able to support itself financially. He says that money from mining is only a small part of Queensland's budget. Also, it would cost a lot more to provide electricity without money from people in South East Queensland.

On May 22, 2024, Robbie Katter brought up a motion in the Queensland Parliament. He wanted North Queensland to separate from the rest of the state. He asked for a public vote in the North. This would let people there decide. Katter said the region was not getting enough attention. He felt it needed more money for projects and help with disasters. But the motion was not approved by the parliament.

Proposed Flags

Many people have designed flags for a possible North Queensland state. Here are a few ideas:

Cities and Towns

If North Queensland became a state, it would include many cities and towns. Here are some of the largest:

North Queensland State Alliance

The North Queensland State Alliance (NQSA) is a political party in Australia. It was created to support the idea of North Queensland becoming its own state. It is also known as the North Queensland State Party (NQSP).

Peter Raffles started the party in June 2018. He said the party planned to run in the October 2020 Queensland state election. However, they did not end up running in that election.

In the local government elections in March 2020, the NQSA had two groups of candidates. One group was for Cairns and the other for Townsville. No candidates from either group were elected.

In 2021, an NQSA candidate named Fran O'Callaghan was elected. She won a special election for Division 10 in the Townsville City Council. But she did not run in the 2024 election. This means the NQSA currently has no elected representatives.

Other Groups in Favour

Other groups that support North Queensland becoming a state include:

• Katter's Australian Party (since 2011)
• North Queensland First (from 2019 to 2021)

See also

In Spanish: Queensland del Norte para niños