Melbourne deputy mayor, Nicholas Reece makes push for Victoria to leave Commonwealth in Vexit move
First it was Western Australia, now Melbourne’s deputy mayor has called for Victoria to do the “unthinkable” and leave Australia.
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The Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne has made a push for Victoria to exit the Commonwealth of Australia after the state was snubbed in an “election spendathon”.
In an opinion piece for The Age, Nicholas Reece said the state should take Western Australia’s lead and consider “a Vexit”.
“In Western Australia the idea of leaving the federation is a regular topic of debate,” he wrote. “Perhaps it is time for Victoria to consider the unthinkable – to go it alone in our own best interests. A Vexit.”
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Accusing the federal government of being an “election pork-barrelling machine,” Mr Reece said Victoria was “allocated less than 6 per cent ($208.4 million) of $3.6 billion in new infrastructure funding in this year’s pre-election budget”, despite being home to 26 per cent of Australia’s population.
In comparison NSW received $1.3 billion, Western Australia was given $1.1 billion and Queensland and South Australia received $446.5 million and $229.3 million respectively.
He also said that the progressive views around “energy and climate, asylum seekers and refugees, support for universities, industry and innovation policy” were being ignored in lieu of the more conservative views held in seats across regional Queensland and western Sydney, which politicians leverage during an election.
“There has never been a greater distribution of federal taxpayers’ money away from Victoria, and it has never occurred in a more brazen manner,” he wrote.
During the course of the pandemic, Western Australia – led by Premier Mark McGowan – has been both criticised and lauded for his rebellion against Australia’s pandemic management plan, including WA’s refusal to open borders to international and interstate travellers.
A poll conducted in October 2020 by market research group Utting also found that more than one in four Western Australians supported the state becoming its own country.
Speaking to The West Australian, Labor MP Patrick Gorman said the “secessionist undertones” have always existed in WA.
“The tyranny of distance between Perth and Canberra often leaves West Australians feeling isolated and ignored by our east coast allies, fuelling the discussion,” he said.
Since sharing his thoughts of a Vexit, some social media users have welcomed Mr Reece’s calls for Victorian independence.
“Secession dreams have a history in Australia! I think we simply need to get rid of the LNP government ASAP,” wrote one Twitter user.
“If Scott and Barn manage to win this election, #Vexit will become inevitable. Victoria and the federation, is it time for a Vexit?” shared another.
“I don’t think Vexit’s a thing, but Victoria is being punished for being a successful Labor state that works with unions, by the corrupt and vicious government-by-business-lobby-group feds,” another comment read.
Originally published as Melbourne deputy mayor, Nicholas Reece makes push for Victoria to leave Commonwealth in Vexit move
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