Strategy
Objective
To form The Riverina into a State of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Overall Strategy
Register a party named The Riverina State for Federal, NSW, and Victorian elections.
Stand candidates in Federal, NSW and Victorian elections.
Use the votes gained to leverage up to a referendum of the people in the proposed State (not Sydney or Melbourne) on State formation. This referendum will be successful because of both popularity and because it won’t be held until it is certain to succeed.
Use this successful referendum as justification for NSW and Victorian Parliaments to consent to this formation as provided for in the Australian Constitution HERE.
The Riverina State is formed.
Read about the 1967 New England State referendum HERE
Party Registration Requirements
Federal: A minimum of 1,500 members on the electoral role from anywhere in Australia are required. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) will confirm members by matching the information submitted with the party application with AEC records.
NSW: A minimum of 750 members on the electoral role from NSW. A NSW Electoral Commission Declaration of Party Membership signed by each member must accompany the party application. Registration must be complete at least one year before the next election.
Victoria: A minimum of 500 members on the electoral role from Victoria. Apon receipt of the party application, the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) will post a declaration of party membership to all members included in the application. Members must complete this and return it to the VEC to be included in the necessary 500 members. If the application fails for any reason e.g. only 499 members return their declaration, re-application cannot be made for six months.
Strategy
As the next election is in Victoria, Victorian registration is being concentrated on. The main activity is adding Victoria members. This is to ensure that when the registration application is submitted ample members will return their declaration of party memberships. As at 11/6/25 there are 625 Victorian members, but it is possible that any number of these, for whatever reason, might not return their declarations. While there is still time to do so, additional Victorian members are being added to ensure that even if some members do not return these forms, ample members still will.
An additional consideration and benefit is that these new Victorian members will also be included in the Federal party registration total. The AEC recommends that the party registration application includes at least 1,600 members, to allow for some members being ineligible, and still achieve the minimum 1,500. The Riverina State Group needs at least another 50 members for Federal registration. So both Victorian and Federal registration will be assisted by adding Victorian members.
NSW registration will be pursued after Victorian, and probably concurrent Federal registration, is completed. In the short term, NSW members are being requested to complete the Declaration of Party Membership linked HERE. Members were not asked to complete this originally as Federal registration was the primary objective, and this form is not a Federal registration requirement, and was also not known of, and so was not sought.
Conclusion
If readers can assist by inviting family and friends to join the group, of by contributing financially, or by suggesting ideas, this will be appreciated.
David Landini.
Subscribe to The Riverina State free email newsletter via this link.