*I have lived and worked in WA, and enjoyed myself there immensely*

In that case I will certainly apologise for by flawed assumption,
Pericles. How interesting and rather rare. So many in the East,
simply don't have a clue about the West.

As to the survey, it was one of those news items quoted just
a few weeks ago. Even our Premier has been quoting it but AFAIK
it was about hours worked per individual. I guess the mining
industry would push our figures up, as those guys make great money
but they also work extremely long hours.

*I'm serious about the secession, incidentally.*

Oh I completely agree with you. It would pose some novel challenges
and allow for some great solutions. Democracy in action would win
and people would have a larger say about their lives. It would
also do the Eastern States economy a great deal of good. A much
cheaper currency and they'd have to join the real world for solutions.

An entertaining exercise in drawing lines in the sand or is it building castles in the air?

>>A WA frontbencher has suggested WA should secede and ally itself with China and the US. Why not?<<

Indeed. Why not back the concept a little further in time and propose a boundary of 129°East latitude or earlier again at 135°E. As a name Dutch New Holland has a certain ring to it – gets rid of any pesky reference to Australia – and who knows, after the Netherlands and Portugal sort out any prior claim they feel they have you might even become a member of the EU.

Of course, if the French remember about Louis Francois Marie Aleno de Saint Alouam you've got an additional claimant – this one with nuclear weapons.

Oh well, it was good while it lasted…

The point is, Yabby, that it wouldn't end there.

>>Democracy in action would win and people would have a larger say about their lives. It would also do the Eastern States economy a great deal of good.<<

You fall into the age-old sandgroper trap of lumping the whole of the rest of Australia together as "the Eastern States".

Using the example set by WA, I have no doubt that Queensland would quickly follow their lead. NSW and Victoria would then rapidly divorce themselves from South Australia - such a massive drain on everything, economically and culturally - and the next thing you know, we are de-federated, and there is no longer a need to maintain the sheltered workshop in Canberra.

Tasmania and the ACT would probably form an economic union based upon basket-weaving, and proceed to live the lives of self-denial that they so fervently wish upon the rest of us. Melbourne and Sydney would resume their rivalry as to which is the more important business centre, which would promote a healthy return to entrepreneurship and enterprise efficiency. Providing, incidentally, much-needed financial expertise to the Big Industries in the West - you won't see the captains of industry uprooting themselves to Dalkeith any time soon.

It will be massively beneficial to all. Bring it on.

*The point is, Yabby, that it wouldn't end there.*

Its an interesting point Pericles, but I think it would be far
harder for the East to split, then say WA.

For a start we are geographically separated from you by a great big
desert. Then of course distance. From here to Sydney is not much
different then from here to Singapore. Then from a business persective,
our customers are in Asia, not in the East. So our
ties with Asia would grow further, diminish further with the East.

Yes, we could indeed hire talent as needed from the East, but just
as likely from Hong Kong or Singapore.

Unwinding the East would be far more difficult

Not convinced, Yabby.

>>Unwinding the East would be far more difficult... For a start we are geographically separated from you by a great big desert.<<

It has so very little to do with deserts, or even distance. We have a few deserts of our own "over East", for one thing. And Queensland has far less in common with Tasmania than it has with WA. Not to mention that the far closer proximity of a number of European countries has been no impediment to their separateness.

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. In practical terms, we will watch closely to see how you untangle yourselves from the Canberra hydra. And once you've led the way, we'll be right behind you.

It will take some time, so I strongly suggest you start now.

*Not to mention that the far closer proximity of a number of European countries has been no impediment to their separateness.*

Yeah but they are split based on tribal lines, which involves things
like language, so quite different. Here we have a potpourri of nations
so its not the same issue as say Greeks versus Germans.

As for WA, lol, if it were up to me it would be easy, chop.

I havent seen a recent WA poll on going our own way, but there is
certainly rising discussion about it, as people are getting sick
of screwed by Canberra for no good reasons. As our GST returns
drop lower and lower, the howls will increase. If pushed too far,
the outcome could be interesting