QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr KATTER (Kennedy) (14:59): My question is to the Prime Minister. You're aware that North Queensland's state government is 3,000 kilometres away. Queensland's budget is $70 billion.

This is also the amount that will be squandered on a two-week athletic meet called the Olympics. Brisbane has 1.1 million people. North Queensland has one million people.

Prime Minister, can a report be drafted on the viability of a North Queensland state, where at present $1,000 million in mining and 1,000 million in irrigated agriculture are both on hold by a government based 3,000 kilometres away?