Norfolk—on the eve of something

The Australian Government is planning to settle once and for all the status of Norfolk Island. Quietly looking around the island in February was Australian Judge Sir John Nimmo, ex-Chief Justice of Fiji; his mission, to prepare the ground for an inquiry into almost everything pertaining to the island, its relationship with Australia and its inhabitants’ welfare.

The news that the government had decided on an inquiry, which may take a year to complete, so wide are the terms of reference, came as a surprise to the islanders. They only heard about it on January 31, the day before Sjr John landed on the island for a 10-day tour.

The announcement came from Canberra, Minister for the Capital Territory Mr Gordon Bryant saying that the government considered it was timely and appropriate for open discussion about the island’s future.

It would be in the islanders’ interests for the inquiry to be conducted by such an eminent jurist as Sir John Nimmo.

The full terms of reference are:

To report and make recommendations on; « • i„ n j) c flltnrp , ctatnc Us * relationship to Australia* * . . , • The most appropriate form of administration if its constitutional position were changed, and to make such report and recommendations, taking into account, the residents’ & » descend a n ts of Pitcairn 8 settlers aris- . f . . sett i ement ; n i gs6*

Present and

y bab] f e its economy; s.. „ nrial *L riir itv health edu- “ benefits shou)d fee pr £ vided at levels similar to those which other Australian citizens enjoy; the capacity and willingness of the island to pay through taxation to provide those services; the extent to which the island is being used to provide a base for activities (such as company taxation evasion) which are harmful to the interests of Australia or of other countries; conditions of permanent entry into the island commun-

ity; the need for adequate communi cations between the island and Australia and the rest of the world, and the need for adequate law enforcement and justice machinery”.

Sir John told the Norfolk Islander, the island’s newspaper, that his in quiry and report will be entirely independent.

“I am an entirely free agent”, he said. “I am in subjection to no one, and wouldn’t tolerate interference from anyone in the way the inquiry is to be conducted.”

Sir John stressed: “If I had con cluded that Norfolk Island is a unique country with unique prob lems, I would recommend a unique constitution. It may be different from any other that we know of to day. This I mention to emphasise that this is an independent inquiry; and I will be seeking a constitution that is going to be acceptable to the people of Norfolk Island”.

One thing is clear. It’s the first time in the history of the Pitcairn settlers on Norfolk that any real effort has been planned to regularise Norfolk Island’s position in relation to Australia.

It will provide the islanders and the “mainlanders” with material for discussion and argument for years.