Originally Posted by
Chronic Snoozer
The irony of your commentary is that it isn't up to WA to secede, the rest of Australia would have to agree to it via a referendum would they not?
Well, it’s complicated. In the 1933 attempt (spurred by economic discontent at the time) they went to petition the British parliament, which they believed had sovereignty at the time. The British said that the 1931 Statue of Westminster prevented them from interfering in Australian Federal matters. The movement died out.
Lang Hancock started another attempt in the 70’s during the first Iron Ore boom. It got some traction in the press and they fielded some politcial candidates but that died out within time, as this “attempt” will too.
There’s no mention in the Constitution about leaving the Federation, I assume barring a civil war Federal Parliament would have to grant assent, which they won’t.
I was in the WA museum the other day - this very question is posed in one of the displays and a very unscientific counter method used to allow visitors to answer the question "Do you think WA should secede?". The pile of counters for yes was definitely greater than that for no.
I reckon if I posed that question in any state - “
Should NSW/Vic/whoever secede if the residents of this state will benefit economically?” the results would be a clear Yes too. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.
This thread having devolved into secession talk anyway is pointless, even if WA or any state did secede I doubt it would have a major effect on the amount of people travelling between cities once the pandemic is over, which therefore wouldn’t have too much of an effect on airline jobs, which is what this thread should be about anyway.