Norfolk Is.
p. 18 · Read in the full issue
Sen. Withers talks about Norfolk Is.
Certain people on Norfolk Island, for their own selfish, personal and financial interests, were totally op posed to implementation of some sections of the Nimmo report on the future of the island, Senator With ers, Australian Minister for Admin istrative Services, said when reply ing to a question in parliament.
Those people were waging their campaign in the Canberra Times, he said.
Senator Withers had been asked by Senator Devitt (Tasmania) what decisions had been made about the constitutional position of the island and its future administration; would decisions about the future take strongly into account the interests and life-style of the true Norfolk Islanders, and what significance, if any, could be attached to the fact that the budget reduced the vote for Norfolk Island by $BB 000?
Senator Withers said that an at tack was launched, under privilege, before a Senate committee, alleging that the administrator had commit ted certain unlawful acts. Although he had invited the person involved to go to the Commonwealth Police or the Crown law officers, he had not yet taken up that offer.
“That action, if I may say so, was described by a Norfolk Island coun cillor as the worst example of gutter politics he had seen exercised by a Norfolk Islander”, Senator Withers said. “That shows the tactics some people on Norfolk Island are at tempting to use to protect their own financial interests and even more tragically in some ways to persuade the Commonwealth Government not to grant certain benefits in the social security area to Australian people who live on Norfolk Island”.
Senator Withers said he hoped before the end of 1977 that the government would be able to an nounce a positive decision over a whole range of matters affecting Norfolk Island. One of the funda mental aims of any government policy would be to see that those who were truly part of Norfolk Is land and had not gone there for other purposes would be properly looked after.
Referring to the reduced vote for Norfolk Island for 1977-78, Senator Withers said most of the revenues were raised locally. There had been quite a significant increase in com pany registration fees which would add greatly to the revenue.
Norfolk Island’s constitutional position had been laid down quite clearly by the High Court it was an Australian territory over which parliament had plenary powers.