Blueprint to create NQ state

PROPONENTS of a separate North Queensland state have secured one of Australia’s most noted legal academics to speak at a forum in Cairns this week.

Professor David Flint, leader of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and former head of the Australian Broadcasting Authority, said the current political system was broken and only a national convention could fix it.

His proposed convention would be populated by democratically elected and unpaid delegates voting on topics ranging from the overcentralisation of government and the sway of political parties, to taxation reform and lack of government accountability.

It would place enough pressure on politicians to force them to enact the people’s will.

“We’ve got a much too centralised government in Canberra neglecting its core duties and poking its nose into state affairs,” he said.

“Then on top of that you have the states.

“One weakness in the Constitution is that the right of the people to establish a new state is left to the politicians.”

Prof Flint said the general populace should also be given the power to recall politicians who were failing in their job.

He said a petition from a certain number of people should be enough to trigger a new election or, indeed, the creation of a new state.

“We’re seeing this country slide down in every respect because of the activities of a class of aristocrats, this political class, who are ruining this country,” he said.

“Once an idea is captured in the country, I think it will be very difficult to resist.”

The Cairns New State Forum will be held at Cazalys on Thursday from 6pm to 9pm.