State of Riverina
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
The State of Riverina is a proposed state of Australia, to be formed out of the current Riverina region in New South Wales and Victoria.
Support for separation of the Riverina from the rest of New South Wales dates back to the 19th century. Following World War I, a Riverina New State League operated from 1921 to 1923.{{cite thesis |degree=BA (Honours) |last=Blacklow |first=Nancy |title=Regional Support for Riverina New State Movements in the 1920s and 1930s |date=1992 |publisher=Charles Sturt University |page=176}} The Riverina Movement was one of a number of new state movements that emerged in Australia in the 1920s.{{cite news|url=https://biography.senate.gov.au/hardy-charles/|title=Hardy, Charles (1898–1941)|work=The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate|first=Geoffrey|last=Hawker|publisher=Melbourne University Press|volume=2|year=2004}}
Riverina Movement
File:Riverina Movement Badge.jpg
The Riverina Movement was a short-lived movement that advocated the creation of the State of Riverina.{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article142776068 | title=Riverina Movement | work=Daily Advertiser | date=22 June 1931 | accessdate=30 June 2015 | via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite web | url=https://www.csu.edu.au/research/archives/collection/regional/agencies/rivmovement | title=The Riverina Movement (1931-32) | publisher=Charles Sturt University | accessdate=30 June 2015}}{{cite news|url=https://museumriverina.com.au/about-us/collections/highlights/senator-charles-hardy-and-the-riverina-movement|title=Senator Charles Hardy and the Riverina Movement|publisher=Museum of the Riverina|first=Michelle|last=Maddison|year=2005|accessdate=29 April 2022}}
The official launch of the movement occurred at a riverside rally in Wagga Wagga on 28 February 1931.{{cite news|url=https://www.csu.edu.au/research/archives/collection/regional/agencies/rivmovement|title=The Riverina Movement (1931-32)|work=Regional Records On-Line Guide|publisher=Charles Sturt University Regional Archives|accessdate=29 April 2022|first=James|last=Logan}}
An official badge was created for the movement, based on the Australian Army's Rising Sun badge with the addition of an Australian flag emblazoned with a capital "R" for Riverina. The badges, manufactured by Angus & Coote, were sold by the movement's women's auxiliary.{{cite news|url=https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=2661&lot=893|title=Riverina Movement badge|publisher=Noble Numismatics|accessdate=29 April 2022}}
At the 1932 New South Wales state election, six members of the Riverina Movement were elected to state parliament - five Country Party MLA's, one United Australia Party MLA, and one Country Party MLC. Hardy was elected to the Senate at the 1931 federal election.{{sfn|Blacklow|1992|p=189}}
Riverina State Party
{{Infobox political party
| name = Riverina State Party
| colorcode = {{Australian politics/party colours|Democratic Labor}}
| abbreviation = RSP
| logo =
| logo_caption =
| founded = 1 December 2018
| dissolved =
| split = National Party
| leader = David Landini
| founder = David Landini
| headquarters = Riverina, New South Wales
| youth_wing =
| newspaper =
| membership =
| membership_year =
| ideology = Riverina statehood
| position =
| colours =
| seats1_title =
| seats1 =
| website =
| state = New South Wales
}}
The Riverina State Party (RSP) is an Australian political party founded in support of the creation of a State of Riverina.
The party was founded in 2018 by David Landini, a former National Party member who also served briefly as a Wakool Shire councillor in 2016.{{cite web |title=Riverina State movement aims for seats by next year |url=https://www.thegrazier.com.au/news/riverina-state-movement-aims-for-seats-by-next-year |publisher=The Riverine Grazier}}
Landini received 2.07% of the vote in the seat of Murray at the 2019 New South Wales state election, running on behalf of the RSP. He increased his vote to 2.40% at the 2023 state election.[https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/SG2301/LA/murray/cc/fp_summary LA First Preference: Murray], NSW State Election Results 2023, NSW Electoral Commission.[https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/SG2301/LA/murray/dop/dop LA Two Candidate Preferred: Murray], NSW State Election Results 2023, NSW Electoral Commission.
As of March 2025, the party has 1400 members.{{cite web |title= 1,400 Riverina State Group Members |url=https://theriverinastate.com.au/2025/03/11/1400-riverina-state-group-members/ |publisher=The Riverina State}}
Politics of Riverina
Riverina is home to a large number of electorates at both a state and federal level. Riverina federal seats include, or partially include as of 2025
State seats include, or partially include as of 2025
- Albury (Liberal held)
- Cootamundra (National held)
- Murray (Independent held)
- Wagga Wagga (Independent held)