Queensland Plan: Campbell Newman says state should accept migrants if they settle in regional areas PREMIER Campbell Newman has floated the idea of an immigration deal that would see Queensland taking in more newcomers, provided they are settled in regional areas. The Premier raised the possibility at the Queensland Plan Brisbane Summit yesterday, where he also revealed that he hoped to have half the state's public servants living and working outside the southeast by 2043. How day two unfolded How day one unfolded Mr Newman said any immigration strategy would likely involve discussions with the Federal Government. "We can deal with the Federal Government and talk to them about how perhaps if we want to bring more people into Queensland we can have an immigration policy set up for this state - where we agree to take people on the basis that we will have a joint program where they will be settled in regional Queensland," he said. It's not too late to have your say below Mr Newman - who attacked then prime minister Kevin Rudd during the federal election campaign for producing "thought bubble" policy - said his public-service shift could be a necessary step to help the state's regional population grow from 1.7 million to four million over the next 30 years. The move would involve more than 100,000 public servants operating from regions such as Cairns and Rockhampton instead of offices in Brisbane and surrounding areas. "I threw that on the table myself just to indicate that we're fair dinkum if people are fair dinkum," he said. If people want to see the state pursue this strong regionalisation model, if people want 50 per cent of the state's population to be outside southeast Queensland, then it stands to reason that the government must reflect that by delivering services out in the regions. Therefore, if that's decided on, I'm quite happy to say that the government should commit to a long-term plan to have half the public service outside southeast Queensland. The state Opposition said it had long supported moving public servants into regional areas but questioned how Mr Newman planned to deliver. Premier Campbell Newman's closing speech at the Queensland Plan summit in Brisbane yesterday. Pic: Liam Kidston Source: News Limited