David Landini, The Riverina State Group, 30 November 2022
The Victorian election, with the re-election of the Daniel Andrews’ Labor government, and the election of seven Greens Members of Parliament, ensures that the suppression of natural resource-based industries such as irrigated agriculture and timber harvesting will not only continue, but actually accelerate and expand.
That these Members of Parliament are all urban-based, while the industries being suppressed are all in the country, demonstrates the cultural and economic division existing between the urban and country populations. The consequent destruction of jobs, prosperity and population in country areas demonstrates the harm being inflicted on country people via their political attachment to the urban population.
That 70 Members of Victoria’s Legislative Assembly are urban based while only 18* are in the country means that country Victorians will never have the political power to prevent this destruction.
[*Outside Melbourne, Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula; 21 if urban Ballarat, East Bendigo and West Bendigo are included.]
Like New South Wales, Victoria is insurmountably dominated politically by the population and politicians of its capital city. Explanations and arguments justifying the natural resource-based industries have to date not affected their continued suppression.
The Riverina State Group is dedicated to forming the Riverina into a State of Australia separate from NSW. This State will have authority over all the water, timber, and other resources within its area. The use of these resources will be decided by the people in the Riverina, and not by an uninterested and far away population.
That this State will be formed is certain due to the necessary defence of employment, prosperity, and population that only this State can provide.
Interestingly, there has been significant interest in The Riverina State from country Victorians. The people in both these areas are culturally and economically similar and are both suffering the same problem of urban domination. The inclusion of country Victoria in The Riverina State is possible, mutually beneficial, practical, and welcome.
