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Photos of Norfolk Island Council of Elders president Albert Buffett, former Norfolk Island Chief Minister Andre Nobbs, and UK Members of Parliament Daniel Kawczynski, Paula Sherriff, and Andrew Rosindell delivering the petition to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday

Community representatives from Norfolk Island are taking their battle against the Australian Government’s abolition of their government to the United Kingdom, with a petition to Prime Minister Theresa May and the launch of a cross-party parliamentary group in the UK Parliament.

The petition, signed by 72 per cent of Norfolk Island’s adult population earlier this month, calls on the United Kingdom for support based on the historic, cultural, legal and constitutional relationship it has had with the people of Norfolk Island since 1856.

Presented by Norfolk Island Council of Elders president Albert Buffett — who was joined by UK MPs Daniel Kawczynski, Paula Sherriff, and Andrew Rosindell — the petition calls on the UK to support for the people of Norfolk Island in their fight for self-determination through the United Nations.

On Wednesday, the Norfolk Island delegation will be in Westminster, where members of a UK parliamentary delegation that visited Norfolk Island in August will report back on their findings.

The event will also feature international human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, who will speak about the legal situation facing the Norfolk Island community, and the formal launch of the Norfolk Island All Party Parliamentary Group which aims to support the people of Norfolk Island in the UK Parliament.

Former Norfolk Island chief minister Andre Nobbs, who is part of the delegation to the UK, said the actions of the Australian Government were reminiscent of the worst excesses of colonialism.

“In the last year, our elected parliament has been sacked, the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly abolished, significant political and heritage items seized, public assets compulsorily acquired, and local laws, customs, and practices overturned,” Mr Nobbs said.

“The situation has been described as a ‘bloodless genocide’ of the people of Norfolk Island.

“Following the abolition of our parliament, the community formed the Norfolk Island People for Democracy, which now counts the majority of the island’s population as registered members.

“Through the NIPD, the Norfolk Island community has commenced a legal process through the United Nations Committee on Decolonisation to have our home listed as a non-self-governing territory.

“Once listed, this process will allow the community an act of self-determination, providing the people of Norfolk Island a legal avenue to restore their democratically-elected parliament.”

UK cross-party parliamentary delegation report re visit to Norfolk Island:

International human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, former Norfolk Island Chief Minister Andre Nobbs, and Members of Parliament who took part in the cross-party delegation to Norfolk Island in August will report back on the political, social, and legal situation facing the island. The meeting will also launch the Norfolk Island All Party Parliamentary Group.

Background information about Norfolk Island:

Norfolk Island was initially settled by the Crown as a penal colony in 1788.

In 1856, Queen Victoria set aside the recently vacated island as a “distinct and separate colony” for the descendants of the Bounty mutineers, who had outgrown their home on Pitcairn Island.

Norfolk Island was subsequently administered by the Commonwealth of Australia on behalf of the British crown.

Women were allowed to vote on Norfolk Island from 1856, as they had been on Pitcairn Island, and were elected to local political and judicial positions in the 19th century. At the same time, the island was a leader in introducing compulsory education for boys and girls.

Norfolk Island has its own language, which is included on the United Nations’ list of endangered languages. In addition, it is home to unique customs and culture, predominantly derived from the European and Tahitian ancestry of the original inhabitants.

Two national anthems that are sung at official ceremonies: God Save The Queen and the Pitcairn Anthem.

In 1979, Norfolk Island was granted partial self-governance, with the creation of an elected Legislative Assembly. This administration, funded by funded by local taxes and levies, was responsible for legislation as well as the provision of services, including health, education, customs, quarantine, telecommunications, electricity, roads, rubbish, and other services.

Norfolk Island is surrounded by a 430,000 square kilometre exclusive economic zone.

Until the Global Financial Crisis, the Norfolk Island administration was able to deliver balanced budgets and maintain full employment on the island.

Under the model of self-governance, the Australian Government retained veto powers over legislation and other government activities. In recent years, this was used to restrict activities aimed at providing a sustainable boost to the local economy. Examples include: canceling a contract for the cultivation of medicinal cannabis, preventing legislation allowing same-sex marriage, and refusing to allow commercial borrowing.

In May 2015, the Australian Government abolished the democratically elected Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly.

Following this move, a referendum on the island found more than two-thirds of Norfolk Islanders opposed the loss of self-governance. This result was ignored by the Australian Government.

From July 1, 2016, the Australian Government took full control of governance on Norfolk Island.

All public infrastructure, including government buildings, have been transferred to Commonwealth control. This includes income-generating assets such as Norfolk Telecom and the Norfolk Island Philatelic Bureau, the local radio station where staff critical of the changes were sacked, and services that had been built and maintained by the community including the school and hospital.

Further reading:

Petition to the United Nations Committee on Decolonisation:
http://www.norfolkschoice.com/thepetition.pdf

Summary of the situation from international human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/27/the-world-s-littlest-freedom-fighters-norfolk-island-is-battling-australian-colonization.html
Tim Vollmer