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The failure of the secession movement in the 1930s did not destroy secessionist sentiments in the west. During the 1970s a Westralian Secession Movement was formed with the financial backing of mining magnate Lang Hancock. (Contains primary source secession pamphlets)

Gina Rinehart’s father Lang Hancock was a big proponent of Western Australia seceding from the Australian federation, and every time the latest figures on GST distributions are released, sympathetic sentiments come blowing east across the Nullabor. But could Western Australia, or any state for that matter, actually declare independence and leave?

West Australian Premier COLIN BARNETT says the state will distance itself from the rest of Australia if its share of GST revenue continues to fall.

The article reports on the arguments regarding the push for secession in Western Australia in 2011. The call of self governance in the region is triggered by the assumption that the federal government favours businesses and interests in the Eastern states. It notes that several individuals supported the said idea, particularly Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum Norman Moore.

An essay is presented on the trend of secession in Australia. It mentions that secession was popular in 1930s because of the Great Depression and economic problems in Australia. It also discusses the case of Western Australia in context of secession and also offers information on several micronations in Australia. It also analyses the arguments from several persons on whether secession is justifiable or not.

This article examines the growth of the secessionist movement in Western Australia, which culminated in the referendum of 1933 and the presentation of a petition to secede by the government of Western Australia to the British Parliament. The attempt by Western Australia to secede from the Australian Federation remains important today because it illustrates the problem which perennially arises with regard to secession in democratic federations. This problem involves the two defining elements of a democratic federation, viz. the democratic process and the federal structure.

This paper assesses the legal possibility of Western Australian seceding from the Commonwealth. It begins by discussing the historical context, tracing Western Australia’s initial reluctance to join the federal compact, early discontent with federation, the 1930’s secession attempt and the 1974 Westralian Secession Movement. It then evaluates three possible avenues for achieving secession: amending the Imperial Act, internal amendments to the Constitution and unilateral secession. The author concludes that secession is legally possible but politically very unlikely to ever succeed.