North Queensland First

North Queensland First was a political party founded and based in the state of Queensland by former Queensland MP for Whitsunday Jason Costigan.[4] The party was created in late 2019 after Costigan was expelled from the Liberal National Party.[5]

North Queensland First
AbbreviationNQF, NQ First[1]
LeaderJason Costigan
PresidentDick Filewood
SecretaryAnge Nixon[2]
FounderJason Costigan
FoundedSeptember 2019; 5 years ago (2019-09)
Registered31 October 2019; 5 years ago (2019-10-31)[3]
Dissolved2021
Split fromLiberal National Party
HeadquartersWhitsundays, Queensland
IdeologyRegionalism
North Queensland statehood
Conservatism
Political positionCentre-right
Colours   Navy blue and yellow
Queensland Parliament
1 / 93
(2019−2020)
Website
https://www.nqfirst.com.au/
[dead link]

History

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After being expelled by the Liberal National Party,[6] Independent MP for Whitsunday, Jason Costigan created the North Queensland First Party.

In response to the foundation of the new political party, Katter's Australian Party leader Robbie Katter said: "We are doers, we have left the others for dead in terms of what we have done. We can all talk a big game but it is about who will have a seat in Parliament."[7]

As of 2023, the party's website is a dead link, although it previously redirected to the webpage of the Democratic Party of Queensland, another minor state-level party.[8]

Objective

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In the published constitution of the party, it states three objectives of the party:[9]

(a) to promote and deliver Self-Government and Statehood for North Queensland;
(b) the election of MPs to the Queensland Parliament;
(c) to give specific voice in the Queensland Parliament to the desires and expectations of the people of North Queensland.

The party's website stated that "North Queensland First is a conservative, pro-North Queensland political party and believes that Queensland and Australia was founded on traditional Christian values, notwithstanding our respect for people from non-Christian backgrounds."[10]

Electoral results

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Legislative Assembly
Election year No. of
overall votes
% of
overall vote
seats won +/– Notes
2020 5,616 0.20 (10th)
0 / 93
  1 Extra-parliamentary

References

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  1. ^ "North Queensland First Constitution" (PDF). ECQ. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. ^ "THE FORMING OF NORTH QUEENSLAND FIRST". nqfirst.com.au. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Political party registrations". Ecq.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. ^ Barry, Derek (2 September 2019). "Jason Costigan sets up North Queensland First party". The North West Star. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. ^ Bavas, Josh (12 February 2019). "LNP outlines more harassment allegations against expelled north Queensland MP Jason Costigan". ABC. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  6. ^ Bavas, Josh (1 February 2019). "LNP expels north Queensland MP Jason Costigan". ABC. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  7. ^ Lynch, Lydia (2 September 2019). "'We can all talk a big game': Katter unafraid of new north Queensland party". The Brisbane Times. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  8. ^ "Website". North Queensland First. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  9. ^ "North Queensland First Constitution" (PDF). Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Home page". North Queensland First. Retrieved 14 June 2020.