While we think of Australia as having a dominating federal government with powerful states overseeing wide swathes of land; there has been since the 1970s another movement, that of self-proclaimed independent states. Secessionist movements have not stopped with Western Australia's successful referendum to break-away either.

Self-Proclaimed

Stamps and tourism seem to be the main economic function of these micronations, microstates and self-proclaimed states.

• Hutt River Province (WA). Established in 1970 by Prince Leonard, probably best known for its internal political squabbles in the 80s and 90s. [ Wikipedia on Hutt River Province ]
• Bumbunga (SA). This province was founded in 1976 and contains a field which has a map of the British Isles constructed from strawberry plants. Also known for printing its own stamps much to Australia Post's annoyance. [ Wikipedia on Bumbunga ]
• Atlantium (NSW). This microstate was founded in 1981 in South Sydney. An apartment serves as its embassy to Australia. [ Wikipedia on Atlantium ]

Statehood Movements

The New States website advocates the establishment of a New England state in northern NSW, a Capricornia state in Northern Queensland and a Northern Australia state which covers the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia.

There is a history of statehood activism in northern NSW and Queensland. A referendum on New England seceding from NSW was held in 1967 which failed. Its claims quite large boundaries, stretching from Newcastle to the Queensland border. Newcastle is becoming more and more integrated into the Sydney economy, shedding its industrialism for services. With the NSW freeway people actually commute from southern Newcastle to work in Sydney.

The Capricornia proposal covers central and northern Queensland with Charters Towers as its capital. Charters Towers was a hotbed of activism in the late 1800s, due in no small part to the fiery rhetoric and polemics of Frederick Vosper. Another republican which features heavily on SSR is John Dunmore-Lang. In his book in 1852 he advocated three Queensland provinces/states. There have been several attempts to have North Queensland secede Queensland, but none have made it through despite its popularity. One movement produced a very modern North Queensland flag which incorporates the Australia pale design .

The WaPo has an article arguing for Vermont secession . The irritant causes are increasing centralisation which prohibits the state from expressing itself politically and in liberty.

From the article:

Vermont was once an independent republic, and it can be one again. We think the time to make that happen is now. Over the past 50 years, the U.S. government has grown too big, too corrupt and too aggressive toward the world, toward its own citizens and toward local democratic institutions. It has abandoned the democratic vision of its founders and eroded Americans' fundamental freedoms.

Vermont did not join the Union to become part of an empire. Some of us therefore seek permission to leave.

The article argues that imposition from Washington DC has meant Vermont has lost control of its National Guard (militia) which is fighting an imperial war 6,000 miles away. Additionally the state did not want to raise the drinking age to 21 upon Washington's demand. Washington imposed itself by removing federal highway funds - which is often the American equivalent of tied grants used in Australia to coerce the states into Canberra's will.

Vermont's argument for secession includes the reality that it is becoming cheaper and cheaper for small states to prosper under globalisation and market liberalisation. The market-state can be much smaller than the nation-state, especially, as in Vermont's case when it will be surrounding by trading nations such as the US and Canada.

We secessionists believe that the 350-year swing of history's pendulum toward large, centralized imperial states is once again reversing itself.

Why? First, the cost of oil and gas. According to urban planner James Howard Kunstler, "Anything organized on a gigantic scale . . . will probably falter in the energy-scarce future." Second, third-wave technology is as inherently democratic and decentralist as second-wave technology was authoritarian and centralist.

It will be interesting to see if the US does do some untying. Juan Enriquez wrote ; "There is ever more pressure on central governments to justify their existence."

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