Portal:Western Australia/Selected article/August 2008

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Secessionism has been a recurring feature of Western Australia's political landscape since shortly after European settlement in 1829. The idea of self governance or secession has often been discussed through local newspaper articles and editorials and on a number of occasions has surfaced as very public events including a State referendum in 1933. Organised groups have been established to agitate when the timing has been to their advantage.

Arguments in favour of secession are based on the assumption that a Federal government based in Canberra will favour the business and popular interests of the larger population centres. It has been said that Western Australia is a forgotten or Cinderella State, which contributes more to federal funds than it gets back, and is discriminated against by the more populous states.

In the modern economy, in per capita terms, Western Australia is the most productive State in terms of per capita income of $45,277 in 2003-04 compared with the national figure of $39,234.^[1]