Economy
South Vicmania? North Tastoria? Why merging three Australian states is a bad idea
Recent chatter about a potential administrative merger between Tasmania and Victoria and including South Australia looks like a solution in search of a problem.
“Tasmania’s problem” is deeply rooted in its political culture and requires a regional development policy solution, not an efficiency dividend as proposed by merger options.
Tasmania’s role in the Commonwealth of Australia is both secured by the provisions of Chapters V and VI of the Constitution and by a political alignment of choice.
There is little evidence that Tasmanians wish to join Victoria or South Australia in some administrative nirvana that will realign the Federation’s “fair go” ethos, nor is there any compelling evidence that either Victoria or South Australia would welcome Tasmania into the fold.
Why would they embrace the mendicant state?
Tasmania’s mendicancy as a State in the Commonwealth was sealed in the first 50 years of colonial self-government; confirmed by at least five significant inquiries since Federation and highlighted by a range of significant current socio-economic circumstances in Tasmania.
To this we can add the political repercussions of three-speed economic alignments in the Australian economy and debate about economic and financial relations with the Commonwealth.