[banarcus]

Who will be the leader/s of said Regional Governments, especially in Queensland? The empire builders that you speak of, who are they, councillors, big business, existing state MPs? Many of the people who are asking for this are the little people who want new hospitals, more police, better roads etc which are all existing state responsibilities.

What is the difference between regional governments and state governments? Regional governments as in forced council amalgamations and abolition of existing state governments? Where does the revenue come from for regional government? Do regional governments compete with one another just like city based MPs do with country/regional based MPs? I'm not being smart, just asking questions.

People see existing state governments as inefficient, money hungry and wasteful beasts but how about your existing state government base itself in a regional non metropolitan area where office space is cheap, transport is cheap and beauracracy is cheaper than being based in a metrocentic area. Canberra is a good example of this where a new town was created as a capital and a base for the running and administration of government.

The creation of new states is to create better representation and to be in control of its own spending whilst generating money for better infastructure and services.

Those calling for the abolition of the existing states say this because their state goverment have largely failed them and because Canberra has tightened its grip on national revenue raising at the expense of the states ie, income tax, GST and of course the proposed super mining tax.