Norfolk Island has had a colourful history. It was first settled by mutineers who seized the Bounty in 1789 and cast William Blyth and some of his faithful crew adrift in a lifeboat. Then it became a penal colony with a harsh regimen of discipline in 1855 and now it has a population of 2,300 residents who eke out a living from tourism and fishing.
What is remarkable about Norfolk Island is that it has been a self governing Australian territory since 1979. It has it's own laws, tax system, health and welfare entitlements - and it's immigration laws govern who may buy land and take up residence on the island. Many of the people resident there have more affinity to New Zealand and Pitcairn Island than to Australia.
It is a great place to visit, but unfortunately not enough of us are making that trip to sustain it's economy and in the past five years the Australian government has had to shell out $ 60 million in emergency aid to stave off bankruptcy - and now Canberra is about to legislate to end that era of self rule.
It is proposed that Norfolk Islanders will become subject to the Australian laws that apply in New South Wales and pay Australian rates of income tax. Local affairs will be in the hands of a Regional Council - similar to the arrangement in country municipalities, and the hospital, airport, school, university, historical buildings and eighty kilometres of roads ( Cows have right of way ) will become a Federal responsibility.
Norfolk Islanders are enraged and demand a referendum. There is no prize for guessing what verdict that would deliver, but it is a fact that this tiny settlement has no hope of paying it's own way. It suffers a perpetual deficit and only input from Canberra keeps the wolf from the door - and sees that the three man local police force keeps getting pay cheques.
The locals make light of their financial malaise and claim that if running a deficit becomes the reason for ending self rule, then Canberra had better consider legislating itself out of existence. The fact is that this tiny dot of land - just thirty-five square kilometres - is 1412 kilometres out in the Pacific Ocean off the New South Wales coast and deteriorating services can put the health and well being of those that live there at risk. It is time to end the self rule experiment.
Norfolk Island is important as an Australian possession because it brings into play a whole host of laws that govern the surrounding sea and any minerals that exist in the surrounding area. This includes fishing rights and should oil or gas be discovered beneath the sea bed it's recovery would be Australian wealth, similar to the oil platforms that brought Britain a bonanza in the nearby North Sea.
Like all isolated communities, the cost of living is subjected to the tyranny of distance. Norfolk Island is not served by a road, hence everything from food to furniture bears the added cost of transport by sea or air. Perhaps Federal government help can improve the greatest opportunity for sustainability - tourism.
The port of Sydney has seen a huge expansion of cruise ships plying the Pacific and most make island visits to add variety to each cruise. Many lack the facilities to dock a major cruise ship and when the visit is to the Isle of Pines in Noumea the ship anchors offshore and the crew lower launches and ferry the passengers ashore to visit the markets and view the scenery. With Federal government help, it may be possible to add Norfolk Island as a regular day stopover - with a resultant increase in income.
Perhaps this change of status should not be seen as a loss, but rather as a gain. The island folk are shedding the load of sustainability for a small community and coming under the shelter of the Commonwealth umbrella. It may herald a better life for all !
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