1967 New South Wales new state referendum

Last updated

New State referendum
Flag of New South Wales.svg
29 April 1967 (1967-04-29)

Are you in favour of the establishment of a new State in north-east New South Wales described in schedule 1 to the New State Referendum Act 1966 ?
OutcomeDecided in the negative
Results
Choice
Votes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes168,10345.82%
Light brown x.svg No198,81254.18%
Valid votes366,91594.54%
Invalid or blank votes21,1945.46%
Total votes388,109100.00%
Registered voters/turnout419,68992.48%

The New State referendum was held in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia, on 29 April 1967, under the provisions of the New State Referendum Act 1966. [1] The proposed state's boundaries were based on the findings of the 1935 Nicholas Royal Commission; only voters in this area took part. The vote marked the culmination of a decades-long campaign for a new state in the New England and Northern Rivers districts, but was ultimately defeated.

Contents

Background

The first separatist agitation occurred during colonial times at the time of the separation of Queensland from NSW. While this was followed by outbreaks of agitation, these remained sporadic. Well-organised 'Separation Leagues' existed at both Glen Innes and Grafton in the late 1880s, [2] but did not make progress.

This changed in the twentieth century. Agitation began again at Grafton towards the end of the First World War led by Earle Page, a local doctor and later a prominent politician, rising to caretaker Prime Minister of Australia. This was picked up a little later by Victor Thompson, editor of the Tamworth Northern Daily Leader who launched a sustained newspaper campaign that involved papers as far south as Cessnock in the lower Hunter. This led to the creation of a formal movement. In 1922 a formal request to the Commonwealth was made by the lower house to establish a new state in northern New South Wales. [3] One outcome was the 1924 Cohen Royal Commission into New States.

The Cohen Commission ruled against to the movement and it went into decline, resurging at the start of the Great Depression. [4] This forced another Royal Commission, the Nicholas Commission. While this recommended in favour, [5] the movement was again in decline as economic conditions improved.

Agitation started again at the end of the Second World War and this time was sustained by permanent staff. In 1953, 21 councils defied the state government and held unofficial referendum on the issue of a new state. The people voted overwhelmingly in favour of the referendum. [6] In 1961 the movement launched Operation Seventh State, [7] raising over AU£100,000. This allowed more staff and greater agitation.

This acceptance of boundaries determined by the Nicholas Commission proved to be the movement's critical strategic error. It assumed that a state was not viable unless it was dominated by a large urban population on the English/London model. Yet, the evidence from similar federations like Canada and the USA revealed numerous successful "farm states", like Wyoming, Montana and the Dakotas, with comparatively small capital city populations tied to a single, essentially rural community of interest. This metrocentric mindset ensured that two quite distinct communities of interest were being pressured into a doomed arranged marriage. It was also the very antithesis of an "act of free choice" as that choice involved imposing a majority rural will over a geographically distinct urban community. A new state proposal based in most part on boundaries formed by those Local Councils with majorities that actually wanted the change would have acquired a critical momentum.

Premier Robert Askin and the Cabinet believed in 1966 that a secession referendum would win, so they had the upper Hunter Region and Newcastle included within the boundaries of the proposed new state before putting it to a vote. [6]

Key dates

Writs were issued on 31 March 1967. Polling took place on 29 April and the writ was returned on 29 May. [8]

Prescribed area

The New State Referendum Act identified a "prescribed area" in which the vote would be held. This included the electoral districts of Armidale, Barwon, Byron, Cessnock, Clarence, Gloucester, Hamilton, Kahibah, Lake Macquarie, Lismore, Maitland, Newcastle, Oxley, Raleigh, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Upper Hunter, Wallsend and Waratah. It also included the subdivisions of Gunnedah, Merriwa and Spring Ridge in Burrendong, and Baradine and Coonabarabran in Castlereagh.

The question

Are you in favour of the establishment of a new state in north-east New South Wales as described in Schedule 1 to the New State Referendum Act, 1966? [9]

Results

The 'Yes' case enjoyed strong support across the New England and Northern Rivers districts, but faced overwhelming opposition in metropolitan Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and the Mid-North Coast.

Results of 1967 New State referendum [8]
DistrictResultYesNoInformalYesNoTurnout
Armidale Green check.svg Yes10,2576,65586860.65%39.35%91.99%
Barwon Green check.svg Yes12,1496,01584366.89%33.11%89.35%
Burrendong (part)Green check.svg Yes4,5702,47433964.88%35.12%92.94%
Byron Green check.svg Yes13,2056,5331,07266.90%33.10%93.22%
Castlereagh (part)Green check.svg Yes1,7191,52824252.94%47.06%85.26%
Cessnock Dark Red x.svg No4,62714,2991,36224.45%75.55%94.26%
Clarence Green check.svg Yes13,2396,69887366.40%33.60%93.69%
Gloucester Dark Red x.svg No4,72512,2351,01227.86%72.14%91.79%
Hamilton Dark Red x.svg No5,30513,9451,30327.56%72.44%92.18%
Kahibah Dark Red x.svg No6,23314,0981,32030.66%69.34%93.38%
Lake Macquarie Dark Red x.svg No5,78412,9811,44430.82%69.18%92.66%
Lismore Green check.svg Yes13,3355,28673571.61%28.39%92.91%
Maitland Dark Red x.svg No5,15914,4701,27426.28%73.72%94.11%
Newcastle Dark Red x.svg No5,34314,1671,14227.39%72.61%91.17%
Oxley Dark Red x.svg No8,29710,6091,22943.89%56.11%92.28%
Raleigh Green check.svg Yes14,9655,40495673.47%26.53%92.57%
Tamworth Green check.svg Yes10,1387,40784257.78%42.22%93.67%
Tenterfield Green check.svg Yes11,2204,65759170.67%29.33%92.18%
Upper Hunter Dark Red x.svg No6,88411,06179538.36%61.64%92.22%
Wallsend Dark Red x.svg No5,42313,5751,48528.55%71.45%93.87%
Waratah Dark Red x.svg No5,52614,7151,46727.30%72.70%93.13%
TotalDark Red x.svg No168,103198,81221,19445.82%54.18%92.59%

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England (New South Wales)</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

New England is a geographical region in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia, about 60 km (37 mi) inland from the Tasman Sea. The area includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions. As of 2021, New England had a population of 185,560, with over a quarter of the people living in the area of Tamworth Regional Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunter Region</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

The Hunter Region, also commonly known as the Hunter Valley, Newcastle Region, or simply Hunter, is a region in northern New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately 162 km (101 mi) to 310 km (193 mi) north of Sydney. It contains the Hunter River and its tributaries with highland areas to the north and south. Situated at the northern end of the Sydney Basin bioregion, the Hunter Valley is one of the largest river valleys on the NSW coast, and is most commonly known for its wineries and coal industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England Highway</span> Highway in New South Wales and Queensland

New England Highway is an 883-kilometre (549 mi) long highway in Australia running from Yarraman, north of Toowoomba, Queensland, at its northern end to Hexham at Newcastle, New South Wales, at its southern end. It is part of Australia's National Highway system, and forms part of the inland route between Brisbane and Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Cessnock</span> Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The City of Cessnock is a local government area in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. The area under administration is located to the west of Newcastle. The largest population centre and council seat is the city of Cessnock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main North railway line, New South Wales</span> Railway line in New South Wales, Australia

The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through Strathfield to Armidale. The line is the main line between Sydney and Armidale. As of 1988, the line closed progressively north of Armidale with services gradually withdrawn till 2004, with the main route between Sydney and Brisbane now the North Coast line. The end of these services marked a significant shift in rail transport in the region, leading to an increased reliance on road transport and altering the dynamics of movement and passenger accessibility between these major cities..

In Australia, referendums are public votes held on important issues where the electorate may approve or reject a certain proposal. In contemporary usage, polls conducted on non-constitutional issues are known as plebiscites, with the term referendum being reserved solely for votes on constitutional changes, which is legally required to make a change to the Constitution of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of New England</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of New England is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Division of Paterson</span> Australian federal electoral division

The Division of Paterson is an Australian electoral division in the state of New South Wales. It is located just north of Newcastle, on the coast of the Tasman Sea. The division is named after federation-era poet and author Banjo Paterson and was originally created in 1949 and abolished in 1984. It was recreated after a redistribution in 1992.

Lake Macquarie is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in Greater Newcastle, Hunter region of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by the independent Greg Piper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of Health (New South Wales)</span> Ministry in New South Wales, Australia

The New South Wales Ministry of Health, branded NSW Health, is a ministerial department of the New South Wales Government. NSW Health supports the executive and statutory roles of the Ministers for Health, Regional Health, Mental Health, and Medical Research. The Ministry also monitors the performance of the state-wide health organisations that collectively make up NSW Health. It is primarily responsible for the public health system in New South Wales, particularly through public hospitals as well as associated agencies and statutory authorities, such as the NSW Ambulance service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pokolbin, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia

Pokolbin is a rural locality in the Hunter Region of New South Wales Australia. It is part of the Singleton Council local government area and the city of Cessnock. The area is the centre of the Lower Hunter Valley wine region. Pokolbin lies within the Hunter Valley Important Bird Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Country Rugby League</span> Governing body for rugby league football in rural New South Wales, Australia

The Country Rugby League of New South Wales (CRL), formed in 1934 and disbanded in 2019, was the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in areas of New South Wales outside the Sydney metropolitan area until it merged with NSW Rugby League in 2019. The CRL was superseded by 6 NSWRL Country Divisions represented by 4 members of the nine-person NSWRL board. Despite its name, the CRL also governed rugby league in the Australian Capital Territory. Apart from selecting a Country Origin side to play in the annual City vs Country Origin game, the CRL administered many senior and junior competitions across the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abernethy, New South Wales</span> Suburb of City of Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia

Abernethy is a small town in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abernethy is located 8 kilometres south-east of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park and the Aberdare State Forest. The town was founded near a coal mine and some of the historic buildings remain. In 2016 348 lived there with the median age being 32 and 74.8% being born in Australia.

Aberdare is a suburb of Cessnock, a large town based on coal mining in the Lower Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia. Aberdare is a small suburb just 15 minutes' from wine country, 45 minutes to Newcastle and two hours to Sydney. George Brown found coal in the area in 1800's. Coal mining created the land boom of 1903-23 and by 1926 Cessnock had a population of 12,000 within a one-mile radius

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England New State Movement</span> Statehood movement in Australia

The New England New State Movement was an Australian political movement in the twentieth century. Founded as the Northern Separation Movement, the aim of the movement was to seek the secession of the New England region and surrounding areas from the State of New South Wales (NSW) and the establishment of a new State of New England. While popular at first and the subject of two Royal Commissions, the movement was unsuccessful, and was defeated at a referendum in 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abermain, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Cessnock, New South Wales, Australia

Abermain is a town 8 km ENE of Cessnock and 3 km west of Weston, in New South Wales, Australia. Abermain is adjacent to Werakata National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Local government in New South Wales</span>

The local government areas (LGA) of New South Wales are the third tier of government in the Australian state. Under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) they can manage their own affairs to the extent permitted by the legislation. They may be designated as cities or otherwise as areas, though the latter units may choose to use titles that had distinctions under older forms of the act. The smallest local government by area in the state is the Municipality of Hunter's Hill 5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi) and the largest by area is Central Darling Shire Council 53,492 km2 (20,653 sq mi). There are 129 local government areas in the state as of December 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clayton Barr</span> Politician in New South Wales, Australia

Clayton Gordon Barr is an Australian politician who was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Cessnock for the Labor Party at the 2011 state election. Before entering parliament he had a career as a secondary education teacher and an employee of the children’s cancer charity Canteen, and worked in local government administration.

Kearsley Shire was a local government area in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia.

A referendum concerning the closing hour for licensed premises and registered clubs was put to voters on 10 June 1916. The referendum was conducted on the basis of optional preferential voting. Preferences were not counted as a majority voted for 6:00 pm closing time.

References

  1. "Referendum 29 April 1967". NSW Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011.
  2. "GLEN INNES SEPARATION LEAGUE". Glen Innes Examiner and General Advertiser. 3 May 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. Totaro, Paola (28 July 2003). "History's lesson to the bush: if at first you don't secede, try, try again". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. "New States Royal Commission". State Archives and Records. Government of New South Wales. 6 April 1925. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  5. "Royal Commission of Inquiry Respecting Areas in the State of New South Wales Suitable for Self-government as States in the Commonwealth of Australia". State Archives and Records. Government of New South Wales. 2 January 1935. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Altered states". The Sydney Morning Herald . 25 January 2005.
  7. "Advertising". Canberra Times . 10 June 1961. p. 18. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  8. 1 2 McDonell, J. M. (1967). New State Referendum Act 1966: Statistical Returns. Sydney: New South Wales Government Printer.
  9. "New state referendum Act, 1966. (30)". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales . 31 March 1967. p. 1027. Retrieved 26 October 2021 via Trove.