A policy motion about Western Australia seceding has passed at the Liberal state conference.
The motion succeeded despite one party member warning there was a risk of being labelled the ‘lunatic fringe’.
The non-binding ‘WAxit’ policy motion put forward by the Brand division called for the establishment of a committee ‘to examine the option of WA becoming an independent state within the Commonwealth’.
A policy motion about Western Australia (pictured is the state capital, Perth) seceding has passed at the Liberal state conference
‘It tells them that Western Australians, particularly Liberal party Western Australians, are not happy with the way in which WA is being treated,’ said state president Norman Moore (pictured)
After hot debate on Sunday, the motion was amended to becoming ‘financially independent’ as suggested by state president Norman Moore, who was in the ‘yes’ camp.
It passed 89-73, which Mr Moore said should send a strong message to Canberra.
‘It tells them that Western Australians, particularly Liberal party Western Australians, are not happy with the way in which WA is being treated,’ he told reporters.
‘The GST is symptomatic of that but it is more than that. Because we’re a long way from Canberra, we feel that we’re being ignored and our interests aren’t being taken into consideration by both sides of politics.’
A flyer urging Western Australians to vote no in 1933 (pictured, left) and the ballot paper (pictured, left)
WA opposition leader Mike Nahan was against the motion, although he said it was well-warranted as ‘an expression of underlying frustration’.
Seeking GST reform was preferable to severing ties with the rest of the nation, he said.
‘We need to work within the family,’ he said.
‘Fix our federation, don’t bust it.’
WA opposition leader Mike Nahan (pictured) was against the motion, although he said it was well-warranted as ‘an expression of underlying frustration’
Rick Palmer, who drafted the motion, said: ‘We have to be the people to kick the can and make the noise … rather than just whinge about it in corners’.
But another party member said the WA Liberal party risked being labelled the ‘lunatic fringe’.
Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek said it was ‘a real vote of no confidence’ in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
‘It’s pretty terrible isn’t it that the West Australian branch of the Liberal Party have so little faith in Malcolm Turnbull and his government that they want to leave the federation that they’re part of,’ she told reporters in Sydney.
Federal Deputy Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek (pictured) said it was ‘a real vote of no confidence’ in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Seceding has been debated ever since WA joined the federation more than 100 years ago, the ABC reported.
Two-thirds of the state’s population voted in favour of secession at the height of the movement in 1933, with independence advocates particularly strong in Perth.
Following the vote a delegation travelled to London but failed to convince the House of Commons to allow the state to leave.
WA has long felt disadvantaged due to its distance from Canberra and low GST share, but the costs of a ‘WAxit’ could be much higher.
Experts have called a modern day secession impractical and unrealistic, and unlikely even if there was a vote in favour such as in 1933.
Two-thirds of the state’s population voted in favour of secession at the height of the movement (pictured) in 1933, with independence advocates particularly strong in Perth