Geography of Queensland and the Simpson Desert are partially located in Queensland. Drought has had a significant impact on Queensland rural communities, both socially and economically. The east coast of Australia, including what is now known as Queensland was first explored by James Cook but for thousands of years before it was occupied by Indigenous Australians. The capital of Queensland is Brisbane. Queensland uses the Australian Eastern Standard Time Zone, but does not adjust in summer for daylight saving. Mining and agriculture, particularly sugar cane harvesting, are the state's main industries. The Great Artesian Basin is an important water source for the state.
Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division) first winning the post in the 1985 election with Sallyanne Atkinson. The party also won a majority on the council and held both in the 1988 election. Following Atkinson's defeat in the 1991 election, the Liberals did not win the mayoralty again until the 2004 election when Campbell Newman won the post but with a Labor majority on the council. Newman was re-elected in 2008, this time with a Liberal majority on the council. Liberal Party of Australia (Queensland Division) The Liberal Party, originally the Queensland People's Party, was a political party in Queensland, Australia, from the Second World War