Off the wire
• 1st LD-Writethru: Chinese yuan strengthens to 3-month high  • Sao Paulo make bid for Sporting Lisbon starlet  • Australian pizza company unveils world's first Pizza delivery robot  • Tokyo shares end lower by break on firmer yen  • Shareholders approve extension of Vanke's share suspension to June  • Roundup: Myanmar president-elect proposes reduced ministries in new gov't formation  • 1st LD-Writethru: EU leaders reach agreement on migrant position to offer Turkey  • Suarez trying to 'control emotions' ahead of Uruguay return  • Austrian GDP growth sees downward revisions  • Family movie chosen as first New Zealand-China film co-production  
You are here: 　 Home

Small, self-governing Aussie islands told to hand over power to state body

Xinhua, March 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Two small, self-governing Australian islands have been told to align with either Western Australia (WA) or the Northern Territory (NT) following claims of poor management.

A government committee set up to research a change in political hierarchy of the Indian Ocean territories of Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling Islands on Friday recommended the region's hand over power to a nearby state of their choice.

Luke Simpkins, a member of the Federal parliament and the committee's chair, said the suggestion is aimed at better connecting the islands to mainland Australia.

"That seems like the best way forward," Simpkins told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Friday.

"Rather than making another Chief Minister (leader) for a small community out there, the better way forward is to have a system which works with a state, local and federal representation."

The small communities are both located more than 2,500 kilometers north west of the WA capital of Perth, and more than 2,750 kilometers west of the NT city of Darwin.

The report acknowledged that WA was probably the best candidate to take on the extra responsibility due to its closer proximity and business links with both islands.

However, the change would require a free vote -- referendum -- from the people of Christmas Island (around 2,000 population) and Cocos Keeling Islands (600).

Referendums have mostly been unsuccessful in these regions, with the inhabitants reluctant to relinquish power.

According to Christmas Island shire president Gordon Thompson, the islands in fact wanted more independence to self-govern. A request that the committee had obviously ignored, he said.

"There is no consideration whatsoever of the majority view of the people," Thompson told the ABC on Friday.

"The whole problem with this report is that it's not interested in testing, or not interested in the opinions of Christmas Islanders really."

Both islands pull in almost 30 million U.S. dollars from local tourism each year. But the department is based off-shore, meaning the funds don't flow directly into the communities. Endit