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EDITORIAL: State boundaries more than imaginary partitions

Community anxiety either side of the Victorian-South Australian border has reminded us of an awkward hangover from the colonial part of our history.

That imaginary dividing state line that starts up in Queensland, pushes south to create a border with New South Wales and continues from the Murray River to the coast must have, at some stage, made sense.

Whether is still does remains open to debate. 

Authorities of yesteryear had to draw the line somewhere and the 141st meridian east of Greenwich has, apart from an historical challenge based on surveying errors, been the measure since 1836.



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On the ground, the state divide for many travellers has traditionally been more of a curiosity than anything else.

A look to the horizon in all directions during a stop at border towns suggests there is little difference, in much of the landscape at least, between the west Wimmera and Tatiara or Naracoorte regions. It appears the same country. 

People either side of the line, a long way from decision-makers in capital cities, also seem to have similar sensibilities and primary-industry interests.

Navigating a way through differing state regulations for work and play is nothing new to this pocket of Australia, but dealing with the crippling and uncertainty of rigorous COVID-19 restrictions, that have cut a community in half, is something else.

The difficulties and anxiety we’ve seen on borders is a clear message to anyone who takes state power that they must govern for a whole state – they must consider anyone living in the far reaches as important as anyone else.

It is also a reminder of how diverse and productive a working relationship needs to be between state and federal governments under our federated system.

We need only consider our colonial history to get further understanding of this issue. 

Questions about adequate representation for border communities and potential inter-state differences have long generated debate.

As far back as the 1860s, a group called the West Victorian Separation League sent a petition of 1500 signatures to Queen Victoria, calling for the establishment of the colony of ‘Princeland’.

This colony would have been as big as Tasmania and included most of the Wimmera, Mallee, Western District and South Australia’s Limestone Coast and Riverland.

While today we would consider this unrealistic folly, some of the motivations and fears that drove the concept, appear to still ring true.

And the idea is something we still explore to some extent. A relatively modern representation of a large section of the subject area, from a development and industry perspective, is often called the Greater Green Triangle Region.

What’s it all mean? If we live in Victoria, we’re Victorians. If we live in South Australia, we’re South Australians. Most importantly, if we live in Australia, we’re Australians. Appropriate representation is critical for all.

The entire August 26, 2020 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire August 26, 2020 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!