Norfolk Island to go ahead with governance referendum

Transcript

The cabinet in the Norfolk Island legislature is to go ahead with a referendum to ask the people what they think about Australia's plans to remove the island's autonomy.

Under legislation introduced this week Norfolk's administration will be reduced to a regional level government, cutting the federal and state powers it has enjoyed since 1979.

The assistant regional development minister, Jamie Briggs, says Norfolk's government was required to deliver all local, state and many federal services - more than any other Australian government and it could not do it

Mr Briggs said there was an almost complete absence of the health and social services most Australians take for granted.

He says the roads are deteriorating, the electricity network is at risk of collapse and the island government's financial situation is dire.
 
Mr Briggs says the changes will deliver growth and prosperity while protecting the island's cultural identity and rich heritage.

The chief minister Lisle Snell told Don Wiseman that the cabinet, parliament and the people are divided on the merits of the change.

LISLE SNELL: Some are embracing what has been suggested by the Commonwealth and others are recognising the damage to self-government on Norfolk Island that has been proposed. They're due to sign off on it or otherwise in May, there's sittings in May for the budget session around about the 11th, 12th and 13th of May. We hope to have the results of our referendum prior to that time.

DON WISEMAN: This enormous divide on this tiny island, so how are you going to mend that?

LS: We're hoping for better, factual information. The commonwealth are going to set up a shopfront, they've already distributed their frequently asked questions and answer sheets which also have raised some concerns in the community. The shadow information is being presented to them, but there are other areas such as the loss of the territory level of government that we enjoy now, there's been a change to the preamble to the Norfolk Island Act which has disturbed not only the Norfolk Island government but other people in the community.

DW: Alright, so the cabinet has decided to go ahead with a referendum, the referendum is going to ask what?

LS: The referendum question is: 'Should the people of Norfolk Island have the right to freely determine their political status; their economic, cultural and social development; and be consulted at referendum, laws that decide on the future model of governance for Norfolk Island before such changes are acted on by the Australian Parliament?"

DW: You get a response to that, but it's already in train isn't it? Canberra's, presumably, just going to ignore that?

LS: That could be the case.

DW: As you see it, this is the last thing that you're able to do?

LS: No, not quite. We have some avenues available to us depending on the agreement of the Norfolk Island government and I know certainly out in the community there is a commitment that this should be taken further, that there are more considerations for Norfolk Island than just accepting unequivocally the proposal of the new amendments to the Norfolk Island act.

DW: And when you say taken further, what are you talking about? Going to the UN?

LS: Well that's an area that could be looked at.

DW: You might be appealing for independence status?

LS: Really what we're going to try and do is to determine from the Australian taxpayer, are they aware of what this could cost them? The impact of all of this. That's one very strong aspect.