Tuesday, February 08, 2011

New England Manifesto 1 - a new self government referendum

This post is the first follow up to New England manifesto & the NSW elections setting out suggested questions to be asked of New England candidates at the March NSW elections.

Question

Will you support the holding of another referendum on self-government for Northern NSW during the term of the next NSW Parliament?

Background

Not all New Englanders support statehood, although a large number do.

For those of us who do support statehood, this is a critical question. However, even those who do not, who still believe that the existing system can meet New England needs, can support the idea of another vote on purely practical grounds.

Since the narrow loss at the 1967 plebiscite, political parties have been able to play one part of Northern NSW against another. Strong support for another referendum will force those who want to preserve the constitutional status quo to try to demonstrate that it still does or can work.

New England can't lose from this question.     

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