Hunter Valley calls for a Northern NSW New State

Peter Firminger wrote in a comment on New England Story - new states, archives and the preservation of our past:

There is some discussion of the State Movement in the comments at the bottom of http://tinyurl.com/y9n9cgw. They continue onto the second page of comments.
Are you expecting this cause to take off again or just keeping it alive?

I've been reading your material about it and think it's still a great idea - though very unlikely with any colour of NSW Government - except maybe the Greens but that will never happen.

How far south did the proposal extend? I'd love to think it included Wollombi Valley.

I look forward to reading more.

The newspaper story that Peter refers to deals with Upper Hunter anger over coal royalties. This is one of the few growth revenue areas that the Sydney Government has, but very little of this money goes back into the Hunter Valley. A number of comments call for a new state.

I have taken the liberty of repeating the comment stream below.

Spent on Hospitals and Schools!!!!!!! spent on themselves, vote them out!!! Never before in all my years have I had to scrutinise politians like I am having to these days. At next election I will send a letter, e-mail to each one and ask them what are their objectives before I cast a vote and each will get a vote on merrit. Nil reply will get a nil vote.

Posted by Bigbox, 11/12/2009 7:29:26 AM

The Upper Hunter is angry? What about the whole Hunter Region, remember the coal leaves our shores via Newcastle City Harbour. How much of a percentage of money made is coming back to the Hunter Region? The very place the coal comes from.

Posted by cheap skates, 11/12/2009 8:03:58 AM

NSW Government will give the Upper Hunter the equivalent of a Brass Razoo! A "Brass Razoo"was based on the Yankee "raspberry" also called a "razoo", a blurt or mouth-sound made to sound like a fart!

Posted by old boy, 11/12/2009 9:19:27 AM

The people of the upper Hunter deserve their fair share. They also need to build for a future without the coal industry. If I was runnning the local councils I would just invoice the NSW Government for damage to roads, noise polution anything really to get some money. If the more populous areas of the Hunter essentially get very little from the NSW Government what chance do the smaller Upper Hunter communities?

Posted by Ron Burgundy, 11/12/2009 9:24:43 AM

Rather hypocritic don't you think? ... Upper Hunter communities (except Murrurundi) do all they can to oppose coal mining but then want to get their hands on the cash.

Posted by Tiger, 11/12/2009 10:00:48 AM

SO!what has changed, the state government are of the opinion the state only extends as far as the Hawksbury in the north, Engadine in the south and Penrith to the west. Not a thing will happen until New England is created.

Posted by intouch, 11/12/2009 1:01:46 PM

Use your vote for locals at all levels of government.

Posted by Jimbob, 11/12/2009 1:32:59 PM

To the dogs that run NSW the Hunter is so in the ALP's electoral pocket as to be not worth bothering about. Whatever happens the suckers will keep on voting ALP. If the fools really wanted a fair share of the profits from the shortening of their lives caused by PM1-4 coal dusts and power station chemical cocktails destroying their lungs, immune systems, circulatory systems, eyesight, kidneys and livers (children at 4 times the adult rate with 10-30 points lower IQ [for life]) they would make every Hunter seat a marginal ALP seat or even (heaven forbid) a National Party seat. Only then will coal royalties return to the regions before the mongrel industry is finally moved on because of the mammoth cost to public health that exceeds the value of the coal that is dug up. If political change does not occur in the Hunter in the next decade it will be too late as the air, water, land and food chain will be irreparably poisoned. You can't grow food on river flats of opn cut dusted mercury, cadmium, lead, uranium, magnesium and mixed acid salts in air and rain of power station nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and the rest. Breathe deep (if your lungs will let you).

Posted by max, 11/12/2009 9:47:31 PM

intouch - how do we get the New England new state movement back on the agenda? We have known for years that we are the engine room of the state and get a bum deal in return. If anything that bum deal is getting worse. We are being screwed by NSW. The time has passed for calling for our fair share. It is time instead to stop propping up NSW and start forging our own destiny free of that yoke that Macquarie Street has around our necks. We must re-start the new state movement. Are there other like minded people out there who can help?

Posted by Nobbys Head, 12/12/2009 4:41:46 PM

I'm keen Nobby

Posted by old boy, 14/12/2009 1:01:50 AM

Well, Pauline got a party up and running. Only to have the heavies from both parties crucify her. The wave must start some where and keep growing. Another rum rebellion, thats what we need.

Posted by intouch, 14/12/2009 1:47:43 PM

intouch and old boy - lets do it. That's three of us who care enough to want to tell NSW to get stuffed.

Posted by Nobbys Head, 15/12/2009 8:49:50 AM

Hi Nobby, The last time this option was explored there was a referendum, I believe a certain number of signatures were gathered on a petition and representations were followed from there. "old boy" was a young bloke then hair raising around in his FJ doing his best to enjoy life without too much distraction from that pursuit. So I am not sure on the mechanics of that desire for separation from NSW. I am sure there may be some fellow bloggers who may offer advice. All the best mate, you have got my signature and vote if that would eventuate.

Posted by old boy, 15/12/2009 11:56:32 AM

old boy - we have to get together and see if we can actually get a new state movement back on the agenda. This time around a referendum might actually get up.

Posted by Nobbys Head, 16/12/2009 5:24:24 PM

A movement with a goal such as secession can be realised by the position a group of people hold in the community. Such people could be high profile business persons, political "renegades" or union based people. I am not suggesting one particular group. A movement with a goal like this could contain all sector groups mentioned with a common goal. The problem initially, is finding these people with a certain profile to rally the cause.

In response to Peter's question, I said:

Thank you very much for this, Peter. One of the difficulties is the erosion of history. Since the movement died, the whole North has fragmented, making it easy for Sydney to practice divide and rule.

Part of my aim has been to recreate the sense of the North. It still exists in an administrative sense because of geography,but the sense of belonging to a common entity has diminished.

I would have to check the boundaries proposed by the Nicholas Commission to be sure, but I have always written about the Wollombi Valley as belonging to New England. But then, too, boundaries reflect identification.

There are still many of us who want self-government for the North, to get out from under Sydney, as the only way of giving us some control over our destiny. I will respond to some of the comments in a later post.