The Queensland State Government has set the State election as March 24, three years since Premier Anna Bligh was elected in 2009.

 

The State Government will enter caretaker mode on February 19 while seeking to move the upcoming Local Government elections to late April or early May.

 

Ms Bligh said the decision to move the elections had been made following a request from the Flood Commission of Inquiry to extend their reporting date until Mark to complete their work.

 

"The Commission and the Commissioners have my full support in their decision to hold further hearings and in their request for an extension of time," Ms Bligh said.

 

"I established this inquiry because I wanted answers about the circumstances of the floods. I said I would leave no stone unturned and I meant it.

 

Ms Bligh said her initial plan was to call the election for a poll date of either March 3 or 10, after the COI had completed its final report to give the public due time to consider the report.

 

"So, I intend to call the 2012 State election for Saturday the 24th of March – giving the public time to consider the findings of the inquiry,” Ms Bligh said.

 

The Premier said she intended to visit the Governor on Sunday the 19th of February to ask her to dissolve the Parliament and issue the writs for a 24th March election.

 

"This would make the State election date just one week prior to the scheduled Local Government elections on March 31," she said.

 

"I don’t believe that would be fair to local candidates or to the public and the LGAQ themselves have described the prospect of simultaneous state and local government campaigns as disastrous.

 

"Local government is entitled to be consulted on this proposed change and I have instructed the Attorney General and Minister for Local Government to do so today."

 

The Premier later announced that the local government elections had been rescheduled to April 28.