Just where do you draw the line?

Katter and co have reignited the old debate about spitting Queensland in two but columnist Greg Bray ways their 'peeling the banana at the wrong end.'

ROBBIE Katter and co. have raised that hoary old macadamia nut again about North Queensland going it alone as a separate state.

Frankly, I think they're trying to peel the banana from the wrong end.

The reaction from Brisbane was predictable: "You'll be broke within a day!" they cried, once they'd stopped laughing.

Meanwhile the rest of us panicked about where the dividing line would be. I mean, folk in rural centres south of Mackay would be a bit miffed to be left out of the new state. And I, for one, am especially keen to make sure that Bundaberg, and its vital rum distillery, are on my side of the border.

Then there'll be all the arguing about which city/town/village should be dubbed the new state capital. Well, Townsville's too hot, Cairns is too far from everywhere and personally, I'd rather kiss a cane toad than see Rockhampton being given more power.

Perhaps we need to build another city like Canberra, but in Central Queensland, in order to settle the… actually, no, let's not do that.

Fortunately I have come up with a better plan (and for once it doesn't involve an army of highly trained monkeys).

All Mr Katter and co. would have to do is simply move the squiggly line of Queensland's southern border around Ipswich and just underneath Caloundra so that Brisbane becomes part of New South Wales.

And, because we're a big-hearted bunch, we'll even toss in the Gold Coast. Let New South Wales deal with that basket case.

Then we could sit back and enjoy watching Brisbane being forced to play fourth fiddle to Sydney, Canberra and Newcastle. We'll see who'll be broke within a day.

And Robbie Katter, if you manage to pull this off, then I'm available for a diplomatic posting as Queensland's ambassador to Byron Bay.

Greg Bray blogs at http://www.gregbraywriter.wordpress.com. Find him on Facebook: Greg Bray - Writer.

Originally published as Just where do you draw the line?