Is Norfolk Island part of Australia

Two days from now, the once independent area of Norfolk Island will be part of Australia, governed by a local government in place of its own legislature. Australia's House of Representatives dismissed self-government just over a year ago, and as we heard from Neal Conan in Pacific News Minute, many Norfolk Islanders are not pleased about this.

The deserted punishment settlement became home to the overpopulation of Pitcairn Island in 1856. In 1979 the Australian Parliament gave the island restricted independence and for many years Norfolk Island flourished as a duty-free resort 900 nautical leagues eastwards of the continent. In the past year, Canberra abolished its independence and from 1 July Norfolk Island will be part of the Australian capital territory, which is similar to Washington DC - completely within the state of New South Wales, but separate from it by law.

Norfolk Islanders may therefore elect in Bundestag election, but have no say in the Landtag, although its legislation will be in force. This is one of many why a group named Norfolk Island People for Democracy asked the United Nations for the position of non-self-governing area and argued that Australia was trying to recolonise the island.

Foli Leaflet 15: Free Information and Norfolk Island| Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

On Norfolk Island, the 1982 ("Freedom of Information Act") came into force on 1 January 2011. As you can see, the Agence or the Secretary is prepared to give you the information without using the FOI Act's procedural procedures. Norfolk Island authorities or government officials may also be asked to change your personally identifiable information if it is inaccurate, inaccurate, outdated or deceptive (for more information, see FOI Fact Sheets 5: Liberty of Information - Your Personally Identifiable Information).

FOI law is applicable to the "authorities" of Norfolk Island. FOI does not cover businesses, registered organisations or the Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island. FOI law only covers formal documentation from Norfolk Island Ministries, i.e. documentation relating to the business of a Norfolk Island agency.

There is no record of ministerial identity or party-political papers. Where can I obtain FOI documentation? Under the FOI Act, anyone can apply for permission to obtain documentary evidence owned by Norfolk Island agents or government officials. You don't have to live on Norfolk Island. When someone asks for documentation containing your personally or commercially identifiable information, you have the right to be contacted in certain situations before the Agent or the Secretary decide to disclose the paper.

Permission to receive a FOI -approved file must be granted unless the file is exempted. The reason for the request is not important for the approval of a file. FOI legislation is applicable to documentation produced from 1 January 2006 (five years before the start of FOI legislation on Norfolk Island).

They also apply to those files that were produced before that date if they contain your personally identifiable, professional, trade or monetary information, as well as files that are reasonably necessary to allow a correct comprehension of another file to which you have legitimate recourse. Exempted docu-ments that an FOI Act allows an agent or ministry to reject are: voter registers, as well as those drawn up by Norfolk Island under the 1979 Legislative Assembly Act, and related docu-ments.

The FOI Act does not apply to other types of document that are available for a charge in a government registry (e.g. a cadastre) and other types of document that can be purchased by an Foli. Eight different types of "conditionally exempted" document also exist. It is necessary to release these papers unless their publication would be detrimental to the general interest.

Conditional exempted documentation relates to: the Norfolk Island and Australian economies. For cases where an Folio Information Office or a Secretary determines that only part of a policy paper contains information that is exempted under the FOI Act, they may provide you with an updated copy of the exempted work.

You can also remove other information that is not pertinent to the extent of your inquiry. Your enquiry must be sent to the Agencie or the Secretary either by e-mailing it to the e-mail or facsimile addresses given in the phone book.

You must be notified by the Agent or the Secretary that you have been contacted within 14 workdays. When an enquiry to an agent does not meet the official requirement, it will help you with the revision. You can also be consulted by the Agent or the Ministry if your enquiry is complicated or extensive and cannot be handled without undue effort in terms of either timing or ressources.

You will be able to use the consultative procedure to help you narrow down the size of your enquiry. If in some cases, for example if the Agence does not have the documentation you are looking for, but knows that another Agence or another Secretary is likely to have it, your application may be forwarded to that other Agence or Agence.

You will not be charged for accessing a FOI law file or modifying or commenting on your personally identifiable information. A government or government body may, however, choose to invoice you for the cost of handling your inquiry, unless the inquiry relates to your right of use.

You have 30 working hours from receipt of your FOI application to make a final determination. You can extend the 30-day deadline by the length of your consultation with the Agent or Secretary to discuss the cost of reply. In certain cases, the Australian Information Commissioner may also extend this authorisation to the Agencys or the Secretary.

Information Commissioner is an impartial official who oversees the FOI Act and can supervise and monitor FOI and ministerial rulings. You have the right to apply for a reassessment if you are dissatisfied with the FOI application. If you have any doubts about how an agent is dealing with your case, you can also contact the Information Commissioner.

You should consult the agent directly before doing so in order to clarify your request.