Pauline’s letter to Mitch Fifield re Norfolk Island

Senator Pauline Hanson, who earlier this month was appointed to the Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network, has written to Communications Minister Mitch Fifield seeking his support for a proposed 90km fibre optic spur to Norfolk Island from the $US300m Hawaiki Cable that will link the United States, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand.

Senator Hanson’s request follows a fact-finding visit to Norfolk Island last week, during which she toured the islands communications infrastructure.

Download her letter below. Senator Hanson has requested that Minister Fifield urgently examine how the Australian Government could underwrite or provide other support to ensure the Norfolk Island community is not excluded from this cable, which would provide for the data needs of the island for the next 40 years. Senator Hanson is also seeking support from the Australian Government for the fibre optic cable to be used to carry NBN data to the island, improving the service available to the community while ensuring the commercial viability of the link. (The current NBN plan will see the island dependent on the Sky Muster satellite).

She also highlights that the laying of a submarine cable of this scale is quite infrequent, and it may be several decades before another cable runs as close to the island. The short distance of this proposed 90km spur allows it to be unpowered, drastically reducing the ongoing costs of operation compared to other options.

A previous consortium of private investors pulled out of their offer to build the spur, which will cost approximately $12m to lay and connect, following the political uncertainty caused by the Australian Government’s takeover of governance on the island this year (in part because the Australian Government terminated another commercial agreement with the former Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly that would have allowed the cultivation of medicinal marijuana).

Norfolk Telecom, which has been taken over by the Australian Government as of July 1, 2016, currently operates a fibre to the node broadband network on the island. The data for this network is transferred via the O3B and TNZI Satellite system. This fibre network, along with a fibre connection to the former Anson Bay Cable Station on the island’s west coast would allow for an easy integration with the existing telecommunications infrastructure on the island. The additional data would also allow the introduction of 3G/4G mobile phone services on the island.

If you require and further information, I can put you in touch with representatives from Norfolk Island who have an intimate understanding of the proposal. I can also connect you with Senator Hanson’s office.

Download …

161026_PH_letter_to_Fifield.pdf

And …

A cross-party delegation of United Kingdom MPs who last month conducted an examination of the situation on Norfolk Island have taken the unprecedented step of urging the Australian Government to remove its most senior representative on the island.
The statement, signed by Conservative MPs Daniel Kawczynski and Andrew Rosindell along with Labour MP Paula Sherriff, states that they were “deeply disturbed by what we found” and indicates that Norfolk Island Administrator Gary Hardgrave — a former Liberal Party MP and commercial radio host — “has lost the confidence of the overwhelming majority of the people of Norfolk Island.”
“The current situation is untenable and cannot go on,” they state.
“It is damaging the lives of the people of Norfolk Island as well as the reputation of Australia.”
The MPs are part of the newly formed U.K.-Norfolk Island Friendship Group, which seeks to strengthen ties between the United Kingdom and the people of Norfolk Island, many of whom trace their ancestry to the original Pitcairn Islanders — descendants of the Bounty mutineers — who were granted Norfolk Island as a new home by Queen Victoria in 1856.
Their statement follows a letter from Senator Pauline Hanson to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, sent last week, that outlined an extensive list of allegations against the current Administrator and an urgent call for his immediate removal.
The UK MPs, who met Administrator Gary Hardgrave during their visit to Norfolk Island and again this month when he flew to the UK, highlighted the importance that the holder of this vice-regal appointment is someone the Norfolk Island community can trust.
“Urgent change is now needed and an end to the deeply sad and wholly avoidable situation that the good people of Norfolk Island find themselves in today,” the statement continued.
“As friends of Australia and Norfolk Island, we urge the government of the Commonwealth of Australia to rebuild the trust with the people of Norfolk Island and adopt a new approach, with a new Administrator in Government House.”
A PDF of the statement is attached, and the full text is reproduced below.

A statement by U.K. members of parliament regarding the situation in Norfolk Island

As United Kingdom Members of Parliament, we recently visited Norfolk Island and were deeply disturbed by what we found.
It is of course up to the Governor General of Australia to appoint the Administrator of Norfolk Island on behalf of the Crown, but it is undoubtedly the case that the current holder of that office has lost the confidence of the overwhelming majority of the people of Norfolk Island.
The current situation is untenable and cannot go on. It is damaging the lives of the people of Norfolk Island as well as the reputation of Australia.
The spirit of the people of Norfolk is close to breaking point and it is imperative that whoever holds the office of Administrator is someone who shows empathy with the people and in whom they can trust.
Urgent change is now needed and an end to the deeply sad and wholly avoidable situation that the good people of Norfolk Island find themselves in today.
As friends of Australia and Norfolk Island, we urge the government of the Commonwealth of Australia to rebuild the trust with the people of Norfolk Island and adopt a new approach, with a new Administrator in Government House.

Daniel Kawczynski, Conservative. Paula Sherriff, Labour. Andrew Rosindell, Conservative
Tim Vollmer