Aspiring CQ pollies, please stand up

Queensland’s newest political party has seemingly been a “hard sell” in CQ to prospective candidates, but there’s still time.

North Queensland First leader Jason Costigan is still on the hunt for candidates to tackle the seats of Rockhampton, Keppel, Gladstone, Gregory and Mirani.

QUEENSLAND’S newest political party has seemingly been a “hard sell” in Central Queensland to prospective candidates, but there’s still time.

Just months out from October’s State Election and North Queensland First leader Jason Costigan remains on the hunt for representatives to tackle the seats of Rockhampton, Keppel, Gladstone, Gregory and Mirani.

“We do not have a candidate south of Mackay yet,” Costigan said.

“We’ve been in discussions with people, keeping in mind the further south you go, the harder the (NQ First) sell is.

“But having said that, Cook is an electorate bigger than the United Kingdom, and we’ve got that bedded down as the first one (candidate).

“And Burdekin is massive, you know Clermont is a long way from a sugar town like Home Hill and Ayr, and we’ve got that bedded down as well.

“And we’ve got our candidate for Townsville.”

Respected Indigenous leader and former long-serving Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Desmond Tayley is the NQ First candidate for Cook.

Desmond Tayley. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

Born in Cairns, Mr Tayley, 45, served for 19 years in local government, winning four elections as mayor.

Meanwhile NQ First’s candidate for Burdekin is Carolyn Moriarty.

Ms Moriarty is the former boss of Bowen Tourism at the town’s iconic “Big Mango” visitor information centre.

Carolyn Moriarty is the NQ First candidate for the Burdekin electorate.

Carolyn, born in Hughenden and educated in Charters Towers and Townsville, is a proud fifth generation North Queenslander but nowadays lives at Clermont in the Central Highlands where she works in HR for a local business in the resources sector.

A school teacher by profession, Carolyn spent 17 years in the classroom before turning her talents to the tourism industry, working closely with local volunteers who took enormous pride in promoting Bowen, Collinsville and surrounding areas.

NQ First’s candidate for Townsville is Clynton Hawks, a 21 year old who is aiming to become the youngest representative in the next Queensland Parliament.

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