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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Politics of Norfolk Island}}
'''Politics of Norfolk Island''' takes place in the framework of the ''[[Norfolk Island Act 1979]]'', an act of the [[Parliament of Australia]] which governs the status of [[Norfolk Island]] as an external territory of Australia.

The [[administrator of Norfolk Island]] is appointed by the federal government and administered through a federal government department (the [[Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts]] since 2022). Norfolk Island historically enjoyed a significant level of self-government, with the [[Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly]] serving as its independent legislature from 1979 to 2015 and electing a [[Chief Minister of Norfolk Island|chief minister]]. The Legislative Assembly was replaced by the [[Norfolk Island Regional Council]] in 2016. The regional council operates under the [[Local government areas of New South Wales|local government legislation]] of the state of New South Wales, although Norfolk Island remains a federal territory.

Residents of Norfolk Island are eligible to vote in [[Elections in Australia|federal elections]], with their votes counting towards election of [[Australian Senate|senators]] for the [[Australian Capital Territory]] (ACT) and the ACT-based [[Division of Bean]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]].

==Political parties==
The [[Australian Labor Party]] (ALP) has been active on Norfolk Island for a number of years, and as of 2023 operated as a sub-branch of [[ACT Labor]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Australian Capital Territory Government |url=https://www.actlabor.org.au/media/dx3felpk/act-labor-platform-2023-24.docx |publisher=ACT Labor Party |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231024000959/https://actlabor.org.au/media/dx3felpk/act-labor-platform-2023-24.docx |archive-date=24 October 2023}}</ref> At the [[2010 Norfolk Island legislative election]], Labor ran four candidates, receiving 13.59% of the total vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Norfolk Votes 2010 - Mike King | date=12 March 2010 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXQe5-qyTnQ |publisher=[[TVNI]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.election.gov.nf/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621012254/http://www.election.gov.nf/ | archive-date=21 June 2010 | title=Election 2010 }}</ref> [[Mike King (politician)|Mike King]], a member of the party, served as leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{cite web |title=Norfolk Island 'may lose self-government' |date=12 May 2010 |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/norfolk-island-may-lose-selfgovernment-20100512-uy9e.html |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> However, King did not recontest the [[2013 Norfolk Island legislative election|2013 election]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.norfolkonlinenews.com/NON-government-news.html |title=NON Government News |publisher=Norfolk Online News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130721070742/http://www.norfolkonlinenews.com/NON-government-news.html |archive-date=2013-07-21 }}</ref>

{{As of|2022}}, a "Norfolk Island Interest Branch" operated within the [[Canberra Liberals]].<ref>[https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party Join Party] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128184559/https://canberraliberals.org.au/join-party |date=28 November 2022 }} Canberra Liberals website</ref>

At the [[2015 Norfolk Island status referendum|2015 status referendum]], the local branches of both the ALP and Liberal Party supported the "no" vote, which was ultimately unsuccessful.<ref name="united">{{cite web |title=Labor And Liberal United On Governance Reform And Rejection Of Referendum |url=http://norfolkislander.com/images/2nd_May_2015.pdf |publisher=The Norfolk Islander |page=48}}</ref>

==Executive branch==
The Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly was abolished on 1 July 2015 and replaced with the [[Government of Australia|Australian Government]] maintaining authority on the island through an Administrator (currently [[Eric Hutchinson (politician)|Eric Hutchinson]]) who is appointed by the [[Governor-General of Australia]]. Two of the members of the Assembly would form the [[Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)|Executive Council]], which devises policy and acts as an advisory body to the Administrator. This council would be headed by the [[Administrator of Norfolk Island]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-32028175|title=Australia's Norfolk Island faces fight for independence|date=25 March 2015 |publisher=[[BBC News]] }}</ref>

==Relationship with Australia==
Controversy exists as to the exact status of Norfolk Island. Despite the island's status as a self-governing territory of Australia, some Islanders claim<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pitcairners.org/government3.html|title=Norfolk Island – Norfolk Island's Relationship with Australia}}</ref> that it was actually granted independence at the time [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] granted permission to Pitcairn Islanders to re-settle on the island.  These views have been repeatedly rejected by the Australian parliament's joint committee on territories, most recently in 2004, and were also rejected by the [[High Court of Australia]] in ''Berwick Ltd v Gray''.<ref>{{cite AustLII|HCA|12|1976|litigants=Berwick Ltd v Gray |parallelcite=(1976) 133 [[Commonwealth Law Reports|CLR]] 603 |courtname=auto |date=30 March 1976}}.</ref>

Disagreements over the island's relationship with Australia were put in sharper relief by a 2006 review undertaken by the Australian government. Under the more radical of two proposed models proposed as a result of the review, the island's legislative assembly would be reduced to the status of a [[Local government in Australia|local council]].<ref name="bbc">{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4991322.stm | publisher=[[BBC News]] | title=Battle for Norfolk Island | date=18 May 2006}}</ref>

In a move that apparently surprised many islanders, the Chief Minister of Norfolk Island [[David Buffett]] announced on 6 November 2010 that the island would voluntarily surrender its tax free status in return for a financial bailout from the federal government to cover significant debts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8112910/Norfolk-Island-gives-up-independence.html|title=Norfolk Island gives up independence|last=Malkin|first=Bonnie|journal=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=2010-11-05|access-date=2018-05-03|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref>

It was announced on 19 March 2015 that self-governance for the island would be revoked by the Commonwealth and replaced by a [[Norfolk Island Regional Council|local council]] with the state of [[New South Wales]] providing services to the island. A reason given was that the island had never gained self-sufficiency and was being heavily subsidised by the Commonwealth, by $12.5 million in 2015 alone. It meant residents would have to start paying Australian income tax, but they would also be covered by Australian welfare schemes such as Medicare.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/mar/19/norfolk-island-self-government-to-be-revoked-and-replaced-by-local-council |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=19 March 2015 |title=Norfolk Island self-government to be replaced by local council |first=Shalailah |last=Medhora}}</ref>

The [[Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly]] decided to hold a [[2015 Norfolk Island status referendum|referendum]] on the proposal in 2015. Voters were asked if Norfolk Islanders should freely determine their political status, their economic, social and cultural development, and to "be consulted at referendum or plebiscite on the future model of governance for Norfolk Island before such changes are acted upon by the Australian parliament."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/269780/norfolk-island-to-go-ahead-with-governance-referendum|title=Norfolk Island to go ahead with governance referendum|date=27 March 2015|work=[[Radio New Zealand]] }}</ref> The outcome of the referendum was a 68% 'Yes' vote. The Norfolk Island Chief Minister said that "the referendum results blow a hole in Canberra's assertion that the reforms introduced before the Australian Parliament that propose abolishing the Legislative Assembly and Norfolk Island Parliament were overwhelmingly supported by the people of Norfolk Island".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/273213/solid-%27yes%27-vote-in-referendum-on-norfolk-island-governance|title=Solid 'Yes' vote in referendum on Norfolk Island governance|date=8 May 2015|work=[[Radio New Zealand]] }}</ref>

The Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 passed the [[Australian Parliament]] on 14 May 2015 (Assented on 26 May 2015) abolishing self-government on Norfolk Island and transferring Norfolk Island into a [[council]] as part of New South Wales law.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r5440|title=Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Bill 2015}}</ref> From 1 July 2016 Norfolk Island legislation was transferred to New South Wales and subject to NSW legislation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://regional.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/reforms/|title=Norfolk Island reforms}}</ref> From 1 July 2016, the [[Norfolk Island Regional Council]] was established to govern Norfolk Island at the local level as a [[local government area]] subject to the laws of New South Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.norfolkisland.gov.nf/council/about |title=About Council |date=9 December 2016 |publisher=Norfolk Island Regional Council |access-date=11 April 2018 |archive-date=25 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925192514/https://norfolkisland.gov.nf/council/about |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Changes from July 2016===
Residents of Norfolk Island who are citizens of Australia and meet the normal enrolment requirements are required to enrol to vote in Australian federal and once enrolled must vote. 393 people voted at the polling booths on Norfolk Island for the [[Division of Canberra|Canberra electorate]] at the [[2016 Australian federal election|2016 Federal election]], with 16.5% of votes being informal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tally room, Canberra ACT |url=https://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseDivisionPage-20499-101.htm |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190520110217/https://results.aec.gov.au/20499/Website/HouseDivisionPage-20499-101.htm |archive-date=20 May 2019 |url-status = live}}</ref> 777 Norfolk Island residents were on the Commonwealth electoral roll {{As of|2019|4|1|lc=y}},<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.norfolkisland.gov.nf/sites/default/files/docs/NIRC/MediaReleases/2019_04_26%20MR%20-%20Council%20Election%202020.pdf |title=Media release: council election 2020 |publisher=[[Norfolk Island Regional Council]] |access-date=16 April 2020}}</ref> and 669 people voted at the booths on Norfolk Island in the [[2019 Australian federal election|2019 Federal election]] in the newly created [[Division of Bean|Bean electorate]], with 17.8% of votes being informal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tally room, Bean ACT |url=https://results.aec.gov.au/24310/Website/HouseDivisionPage-24310-318.htm |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=16 April 2020}}</ref>

The election for the inaugural Norfolk Island Regional Council occurred on 28 May 2016,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.austelect.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/NI_ElectionResultsReport.pdf |title=Results for Norfolk Island Regional Council |date=31 May 2016 |publisher=Australian Election Company |access-date=16 April 2020}}</ref> with the new council taking office on 1 July 2016.  Three of the five councilors elected supported [[self-determination]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/norfolk-island-elects-council-that-supports-selfdetermination-20160531-gp7xlu.html|title=Norfolk Island elects council that supports self-determination|last=Strom|first=Marcus|date=2016-06-01|website=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|language=en|access-date=2020-04-16}}</ref>

From 1 July 2016, Norfolk Island residents came under Australian levies, personal or business income and corporation taxation by the [[Australian Taxation Office]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Norfolk-Island-tax-and-super/|title=Norfolk Island tax and super|first=Australian Taxation|last=Office|website=ato.gov.au|access-date=15 July 2018}}</ref> Also both Centrelink and [[Medicare (Australia)|Medicare]] will apply to Norfolk Island. In addition, flights between mainland Australia and Norfolk Island became classified as domestic not international meaning a passport was no longer required by visiting Australian citizens.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://regional.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/reforms/domestic-travel.aspx| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160614081523/http://regional.gov.au/territories/norfolk_island/reforms/domestic-travel.aspx| archive-date = 14 June 2016| title = Factsheet: Domestic travel between Norfolk Island and mainland Australia}}</ref> Despite New South Wales laws being applied on Norfolk Island, residents are not eligible to vote in New South Wales elections.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-03/norfolk-island-grapples-with-australian-rule/10772744 |title=Norfolk Island, South Pacific haven with NSW postcode and ACT vote, grapples with Australian rule |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|location=Australia}}</ref>

===State-based services switch to Queensland from 2022===
Since 1 January 2022, Queensland has provided state-based services directly for Norfolk Island, taking over from New South Wales.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Druce|first=Alex|date=26 October 2021|title=Why island paradise is switching states|work=news.com.au|url=https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/norfolk-island-to-switch-from-nsw-to-qld-jurisdiction-under-new-federal-funding-deal/news-story/922e79ae54bbcb621190c0689eaf3654|access-date=26 October 2021|archive-date=26 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026095537/https://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/news/norfolk-island-to-switch-from-nsw-to-qld-jurisdiction-under-new-federal-funding-deal/news-story/922e79ae54bbcb621190c0689eaf3654|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Independence===
Some residents on Norfolk Island advocate independence from Australia. In 2013, Chief Minister [[Lisle Snell]] claimed that Norfolk Island could survive alone.<ref>{{cite news|title=Norfolk Islanders face dire straits| url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11147246 | work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] }}</ref> He also told [[Radio Australia]] that 'Norfolk-Pitcairn people see themselves as a people with some rights to self-determination' that the Island's future relationship with Australia was not clear, but also stated that for the time being they need to integrate further with Australia for financial reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/no-firm-decisions-on-norfolk-is-relationship-with-australia/1117066|title=No firm decisions on Norfolk Is relationship with Australia – Pacific Beat|date=2 December 2023 }}</ref>

==Foreign relations==
As a territory of Australia, Norfolk Island does not have diplomatic representation abroad or within the territory. It is however a full participant in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (an international organisation) and a member in its own right of a number of international sporting organisations (e.g. the [[Commonwealth Games]]).

==See also==
{{Portal|Australia|Politics}}
*[[Politics of Australia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Oceania in topic|Politics of}}
{{Politics of Australia by state}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics of Norfolk Island}}
[[Category:Politics of Norfolk Island| ]]
[[Category:Politics of Australia| ]]
[[Category:Politics of New South Wales| ]]