Queensland referendum set to change parliament term

Canberra, March 20: Queensland’s political system is set for its biggest shake-up in the decades as a referendum for fixed four-year parliamentary terms looks likely to succeed. On Sunday, just under half of the three million votes had been counted, the ‘yes’ vote held a 53.16 percent margin to the ‘no’ vote’s 46.84 percent, Australian ABC reported. The Palaszczuk government remained cautiously optimistic after driving the ‘yes’ campaign with advertisements and a bipartisan promotiol tour in the week leading into polling day. Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said that the Queenslanders had decided they wanted a stable government. “I think Queenslanders are showing good sense in terms of having provisions that other states have had for a long time,” he said. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland’s Nick Behrens said that a ‘yes’ would give business the confidence to plan ahead.but what’s coming in the decades ahead.” (IANS)