Rebecca Hayes leads movement to secure independence for Norfolk Island from Australian rule
Rebecca Hayes, a self-described councilor for the Norfolk Island Council of Elders, is leading a movement to secure independence for the island from Australian rule. The islanders argue that their claim to the self-determination predates the creation of Australia itself, and they seek to return to a status of autonomy that was surrendered in 2015. While the Australian government has formally ruled the Norfolk Island since 1914, the islanders feel that decisions are made by remote control from Canberra. To address these grievances, the administration announced the creation of the Norfolk Island Transition Assembly, a five-member council that will be democratically elected to provide recommendations on the island's democratic future over the next two years. This move aims to restore local democracy and local representation. However, the Australian Constitution provides no clear pathway to secede, making the legal status of the island's independence a complex issue. The islanders now face a choice between bargaining for a better deal within Australia or ratcheting up their claims for full independence.