Asked by: Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 February (HL1480), whether an Act of Parliament established Norfolk Island as a Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia; and if not, (1) how it was established as such a territory, and (2) how Parliament was consulted.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
In 1914 Norfolk Island became a Territory under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia by way of a (UK) Order in Council and the (Australian) Norfolk Island Act of 1913 (enacted by the Australian Parliament).
Asked by: Lord Howarth of Newport (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Norfolk Island (1) was within the geographical boundaries of the Commonwealth of Australia or any State thereof when the power to make laws for Norfolk Island was given to the Commonwealth of Australia in 1914, or (2) has since become within those boundaries.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Norfolk Island has been a Territory of the Commonwealth of Australia since 1914 and its governance is a matter for that country.