Beatrice is a 4th generation North Queenslander. She was born in Mackay and has spent most of her life living in North Queensland apart from short bursts of living in PNG, Brisbane and Perth.

With her husband they operated  “Cairns Engineering Testing Services” which carried out geotechnical engineering services; together with equipment hire, line-marking and explosives sales, transport and shot-firing businesses.

Their businesses were extremely successful, and Bea played a major part in sharing the methods of her success. Bea has been involved in the Cairns Businesswomens’ Association and also the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (State) and the Cairns Chamber.

During her career, Bea has had a lot of firsts including first female to hold a Building Services Authority Supervisor’s Licence; first female Regional Chair of the Chamber of Commerce (State); first female Director and President of the State Chamber of Commerce; second female Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce; first female National member of the World Chambers Confederation.

Beatrice was a very strong advocate of North Queensland in her dealings with heads of State and National and International Governments, in particular advising the Prime Minister, the National Treasurer, and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of the financial position of FNQ during the GFC. She has had first hand experience of the high level of disregard government has for North  Queensland.

She will continue, in her role as President of the North Queensland Party, to ensure that North Queensland is not forever subject to the erratic performance of the tourism industry and the whims of southern decision-makers – that it will develop other industries which will provide a buffer for tourism income and ensure that our children and grandchildren have a stable and secure financial future.

Michael has recently come on board and heads up the marketing area. Recently from Sydney but having lived and worked in Melbourne, country Victoria and London, Michael commenced his police career with Victoria police before leaving as a Senior Detective Analyst with the Bureau of Criminal Intelligence.

After a short time in sales of the very first mobile telephones in Australia, (we used to sell them for $5,000) Michael ventured overseas to involve himself in the early stages of information technology and project management as a consultant for companies such as British Airways.

Michael is a qualified IT Forensic Expert and now has various business interests including an Internet design company in Port Douglas. He is also the Director of Marketing for the local radio station.

Michael says “Politics seems to attract the enthusiastically unqualified who get swallowed up into their various party mechanisms then become toothless. I see the NQP as the only party who has the ambition and experience to drive change. We are mostly business people who know how the world works and how to get things done for the better.”

Darren is a founding member of the NQP. He is a 16 year ‘Cairns Local’ and having lived in Mackay and Townsville, he knows all too well how the North misses out on its fair shair of State and Federal funding.

A Qualified Printing Machinist by day, and semi-proffessional musician most nights, this single father of 3 stopped waiting for someone else to speak up for the people when he went direct to the media with his call for a louder voice for the North in decision making and a party that makes decisions for local people by working with and listening to local people.

Darren says “People are sick and tired of having local politicians represent Brisbane’s views in Cairns, when they should be representing Cairns’ views in Brisbane.”

Not prepared to wait for someone else to speak up, Darren went about forming a party that “would represent the interests of the people of North Queensland”, and the NQ Party was on its way to becoming a reality!

Desmond Thomas Connors was born in Moreland Victoria.

I have lived in the Moresby area for 20 years, am married and have four grown children.

I joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1966, rose through the ranks to Chief Petty Officer Engineer while serving in submarines for 14 years, and then in patrol boats and heavy landing craft for the rest of my career finally retiring in 2006 after 40 years service.

Currently a casual Road Train Driver. I have always been interested in politics (State and Federal) and joined the North Queensland Party in the early days of the formation.

It was very obvious that the North has been almost totally neglected by both the ALP and LNP in all aspects of funding in comparison to Brisbane and the south east corner.

I sincerely believe that the only way the North can get a fairer deal out of any state government is by looking after ourselves, hence the NQP and all that I can do to help us get there.