Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Why I remain a New England New Stater 1 - Introduction

I was asked the other day why I still pursued the dream for New England Statehood. I know that time has moved against me. But I still think that this is the only way to control our future in a meaningful sense.
Let me take a simple, practical, if disguised example.

Note to reader: Upon reflection, I have removed the example because I felt uncomfortable that it might be recognised even though disguised. I will use some other examples in later posts to make the point.

Still later: I have decided to use this post as an introductory post for a series of short posts using a range of examples to explain why I think that New England's future really depends upon the renewal of agitation for self government, the reactivation of the New England New State Movement.

At one level it does not matter whether we get self-government or not, although that remains my personal aspiration. In simple political terms, the very existence of new state agitation forces Governments to recognise and respond to New England needs in a way that does not presently happen.

The examples that I will use are all drawn from my own experience. They show the often unseen ways in which existing structures work against New England interests. Longer term reforms cannot be achieved without changing those structures. In the short term, political pressure can force responses from existing structures.

Some of the examples will seem small, even trivial. But it is the overall pattern that I want to draw out, because the cumulative effects are not trivial in the slightest.

Posts in the series:

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said, the northern part of NSW has not gained the true status and economic benefit it deserves, the sydney dominated state govt has little regard for regionalism and fair share of equity, australia today would have gained had the 1967 referendum been carried to form the stae of new england let alone the area it was to serve.

Jim Belshaw said...

Hi anon and thanks. There seems to be a fair bit of interest around now in re-launching the New State Movement. To test this, I have created a Facebook group - http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=106438812712957&ref=nf

gclub said...
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