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Pacific News Minute: Australia Strips Norfolk Island of its Political Autonomy

Bob Hall / Flickr
Bob Hall / Flickr

As of tomorrow, tiny Norfolk Island loses the political autonomy it's enjoyed since 1979. Despite a referendum that appealed to Australia to allow the islanders some say in their political future, self-government will be replaced by a local council. Details from Neal Conan, in the latest Pacific News Minute.

Nearly 14 square miles in size with a population of about 23 hundred, Norfolk Island sits between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. An original population of East Polynesians vanished and no one lived there upon its discovery by Captain Cook on his second voyage to the South Pacific. Twice, British authorities established a penal colony on the island, both times, it was abandoned because Norfolk was simply too difficult to get to.

 In 1856, it was colonized from Pitcairn Island by the descendants of Tahitians and the mutineers of HMS Bounty. Those families make up about half the population today. It's best known export is the Norfolk Pine tree which decorates its flag and forms many a wind break here in Hawaii. Norfolk Island has been an external territory of Australia since the establishment of the commonwealth in 1901.

In 2010, the autonomous government appealed to Canberra for help in the midst of a financial crisis. In return, the islanders agreed to pay income tax for the first time. But no agreement was reached until earlier this month. Both houses of the Australian Parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill to strip the Norfolk Island legislature and government of their federal and state powers, and replace them with a local council. The outgoing Chief Minister, Lisle Snell vows to take the issue to the United Nations.

Over 36 years with National Public Radio, Neal Conan worked as a correspondent based in New York, Washington, and London; covered wars in the Middle East and Northern Ireland; Olympic Games in Lake Placid and Sarajevo; and a presidential impeachment. He served, at various times, as editor, producer, and executive producer of All Things Considered and may be best known as the long-time host of Talk of the Nation. Now a macadamia nut farmer on Hawaiʻi Island, his "Pacific News Minute" can be heard on HPR Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
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