We created a petition to become something like Monaco.
Why, because after years of advocacy, our issues were not being listened too. Letters, petitions, discussions, meetings, working parties. Time and again, one would go down the same old road to nowhere. We do not have much time before thousands of more homes are approved to go into our suburb. These plans, do not need to take into account travel time or services in the area.
Our stunt raised an idea, that we are pushing to establish Point Cook, Seabrook, all lands south of these suburbs, and part of East Werribee (the Point Cook side of the freeway), as an Independent Sovereign Nation (modeled on Monaco) to address our issues.
It was based around something done along time ago in WA, a referendum. Just as the argument that the Commonwealth exploits WA for taxation revenue, Governments at all levels are exploiting land within Point Cook, with a push to stuff as many homes in it as possible, with little to no heed for services, jobs or community expectations. There are further suggestions that as the federal and state seats of Point Cook are considered safe, tax dollars are disproportionately distributed to other regions. WA has been pushing for this independence for years (nearly a century).
And oddly, thanks to developments in international law, its very possible. (Not easy, but it is possible).
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) states[1]:
1. The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation.
2. All peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
The Australia Constitution Act, was enacted with the following text: Have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and under the Constitution hereby established.
The Estrada Doctrine [2]:
The doctrine that recognition of a government should be based on its de facto existence, rather than on its legitimacy. It was a Mexico foreign policy ideal. It claims that foreign governments should not judge, positively or negatively, the governments or changes in government of other states, in that such action would imply a breach of state sovereignty. This policy was said to be based on the principles of non-intervention, peaceful resolution of disputes and self-determination of all nations.
Montevideo Convention [3]:
This sets out that a nation has defined territory, population, government and the capacity for communication and trade with other nations. So as long as Point Cook can demonstrate that we have the capacity to form our own government, with police, schools, healthcare, and the ability to trade with other nations. Point Cook could very well be seen as its own country in its own right at international level.
So the proposition we came up with, form a new Constitution, under its own monarchy, all founded within Point Cook. In this way, an act of parliament in Britain (an alien power) plays no part in the formation of this (our) new realm. And it would all us to chart our history, laws and character. Unlike the reality of today where unelected bodies decide what our town has, decisions that go against the will of the people.
It was never intended to happen however.
But it did get the Premiers attention: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-28/melbourne-residents-plan-to-turn-suburb-into-sovereign-nation/6428576
Why even raise this then?
To ask this question; Why should we put up with the neglect and poor planning?
So why...
Why, because after years of advocacy, our issues were not being listened too. Letters, petitions, discussions, meetings, working parties. Time and again, one would go down the same old road to nowhere. We do not have much time before thousands of more homes are approved to go into our suburb. These plans, do not need to take into account travel time or services in the area.
Our stunt raised an idea, that we are pushing to establish Point Cook, Seabrook, all lands south of these suburbs, and part of East Werribee (the Point Cook side of the freeway), as an Independent Sovereign Nation (modeled on Monaco) to address our issues.
It was based around something done along time ago in WA, a referendum. Just as the argument that the Commonwealth exploits WA for taxation revenue, Governments at all levels are exploiting land within Point Cook, with a push to stuff as many homes in it as possible, with little to no heed for services, jobs or community expectations. There are further suggestions that as the federal and state seats of Point Cook are considered safe, tax dollars are disproportionately distributed to other regions. WA has been pushing for this independence for years (nearly a century).
And oddly, thanks to developments in international law, its very possible. (Not easy, but it is possible).
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) states[1]:
1. The subjection of peoples to alien subjugation, domination and exploitation constitutes a denial of fundamental human rights, is contrary to the Charter of the United Nations and is an impediment to the promotion of world peace and co-operation.
2. All peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.
The Australia Constitution Act, was enacted with the following text: Have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and under the Constitution hereby established.
The Estrada Doctrine [2]:
The doctrine that recognition of a government should be based on its de facto existence, rather than on its legitimacy. It was a Mexico foreign policy ideal. It claims that foreign governments should not judge, positively or negatively, the governments or changes in government of other states, in that such action would imply a breach of state sovereignty. This policy was said to be based on the principles of non-intervention, peaceful resolution of disputes and self-determination of all nations.
Montevideo Convention [3]:
This sets out that a nation has defined territory, population, government and the capacity for communication and trade with other nations. So as long as Point Cook can demonstrate that we have the capacity to form our own government, with police, schools, healthcare, and the ability to trade with other nations. Point Cook could very well be seen as its own country in its own right at international level.
So the proposition we came up with, form a new Constitution, under its own monarchy, all founded within Point Cook. In this way, an act of parliament in Britain (an alien power) plays no part in the formation of this (our) new realm. And it would all us to chart our history, laws and character. Unlike the reality of today where unelected bodies decide what our town has, decisions that go against the will of the people.
It was never intended to happen however.
But it did get the Premiers attention: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-28/melbourne-residents-plan-to-turn-suburb-into-sovereign-nation/6428576
Why even raise this then?
To ask this question; Why should we put up with the neglect and poor planning?
So why...
Sources
[1] http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/declaration.shtml
[2] http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095758788
[3] http://www.cfr.org/sovereignty/montevideo-convention-rights-duties-states/p15897
[1] http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/declaration.shtml
[2] http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095758788
[3] http://www.cfr.org/sovereignty/montevideo-convention-rights-duties-states/p15897