New Queensland Party may join with North Queensland party

The recently announced Queensland Party, established by LNP detractor Aidan McLindon, MP for Beaudesert, is expected to discuss amalgamations with the North Queensland Party today.

"Everything is on the table and up for discussion," a party insider told CairnsBlog, who didn't wish to be named. "Yes, it's on that cards, and makes a degree of sense. We should pool our resources."

The North Queensland Party has had difficulty in gaining traction and widespread public support, and so far, has failed to reach the magical 500 number to formally register as a party. The NQP was established in Cairns soon after the last Queensland state election, in a reaction to the main two parties that they said, ignored far north Queensland.

"It's a fundamental flaw in our two party preferred electoral system," secretary Matthew Filippi says.. "While the two major parties are kicking each other for brownie points in the larger populations the smaller communities miss out. This is precisely what the NQP want to change. A North Queensland Party who can fight for Rural and Regional Queensland to get North Queensland’s fair share of funding."

Cairns Regional Councilor Rob Pyne, who had thrown his support behind the NQP, has recently distanced himself from the organisation, and indicating he may not have further involvement.

Pyne, who was a member of Val Schier's Cairns 1st Alliance in the lead up to the 2008 local body elections, but went it alone and toppled then Deputy Mayor Terry James for the Division 3 seat, has long advocated to be an independent. He has also detached himself from his Labor roots. Critics of Pyne, say he is becoming a populist politician.

Aidan McLindon arrives back in Cairns this morning for a two day visit, and will seek formal public support from former LNP candidate, Wendy Richardson, who is yet to announce joining the party.

Richardson has said she will contest the Barron River seat as an independent at the next State election in 2012. She is also tipped for a senior role in the new party.

A former adviser to the Leader of the Opposition, who resigned after being appalled at the lack of direction of the LNP, is also set to join The Queensland Party. Jessica Christmas, who resigned in May after warning that "insanity" prevailed in the opposition leader's office, says she is delighted to join the party.

"Aidan has shown courage and conviction in terms of his vision for Queensland", Christmas says. "It is a refreshing change to see someone who is determined to put Queensland first and that is why I have decided to join the new Party".

Christmas says that in recent weeks, many disenfranchised members of the LNP had communicated to her their increasing support in relation to The Queensland Party. The Mt Coot-tha State Electoral Council Chair, Peter Hamilton, has also recently quit the LNP.