Australian Republican Movement - Campaign #7 - States???

I am a strong supporter of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM). But sometimes they get things wrong!

http://www.ouridentity.org.au/

Recently I received their campaign update #7 talking about the importance of getting republicanism back on the agenda. They have set up a club at my old university for campaign launch under the well known activist/lecturer/author Peter FitzSimons ‏@Peter_Fitz.

All good stuff! I want them to do well, and will help any way I can.

My only concern is their commitment to State Branches. They are already calling for nominations:

State Branches - a thing of the past!

State branches are a thing of the past. They represent the colonial power structures that were already out of date in 1901. The states serve no purpose except bureaucratic power bases, mutiplying the bookwork & paperwork by six, with no positive benefit. These days, if you are promoting new state branches, you are just not thinking! The blogs on this website go into detail as to why this is a serious mistake.

Involvement

Some might argue that you need to break down the organisation to involve people at a lower level than the ARM national body can provide.

No argument with that.

But state branches have proven over 100 years to provide some incentive for people in the big town but to increase the town/country divide, making it more difficult for country activists to get involved. You already have state/territory branches operational in ACT and Tasmania, and there is a real reason for that!. The huge divide in other States, especially NSW, QLD, WA, and NT, is not so easy to overcome!

Possible Branches

If that is your objective, I suggest ARM goes to branches that involve people where they are and not put a bureaucratic structure in their way. This would result in the following branches:

• A Cook Branch
• B Keer-Weer Branch
• C Carpentaria Branch
• D Wurung Branch
• E Borroloola Branch
• F Mataranka Branch
• G East Arnhem Branch
• H Van Dieman Branch
• J Wyndham Branch
• K Fitzroy Crossing Branch
• L Marapikurrinya Branch
• M Murujuga Branch
• N Meekatharra Branch
• P Kwinana Branch
• Q Nyabing Branch
• R Uluru Central Branch
• S Menindee Branch
• O Wonthaggi Branch
• U Sandy Cove Branch
• V Portland Branch
• W SE Cape Branch
• T Cape Howe Branch
• X Ulladulla Branch
• Y Narrabeen Branch
• Z Sandy Hollow Branch
• AA New England Branch
• AB Casino Branch
• AC Boonah Branch
• AD Capricorn Branch
• AE Eungella Branch
• AF Charters Branch
• AG Mareeba Branch
• SS-1 Darling River Branch
• SS-2 MIA Branch
• SS-3 Snowy Mountains Branch
• SS-4 Murray River Branch
• SS-5 Murray-Darling Basin Foreshore Branch

Click on the branch to see where the branch would meet!

They won't happen overnight but they will be great when they happen.

Come on! It's time for some lateral thinking, instead of following the same old tired formula, that has never once been seen to work!