Norfolk Island is an integral part of Australia and has been since it was accepted by the Commonwealth as a territory under section 122 of the Australian Constitution on 1 July 1914.
Between 1979 and 2015, the governance arrangements for Norfolk Island included limited self-government through a Legislative Assembly with responsibilities for making laws on some subject matters. Following a Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories (JSCNCET) inquiry, the Australian Parliament passed legislation to deliver comprehensive changes for Norfolk Island's governance to address urgent sustainability issues.
In 2015, the Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Act 2015 and related Acts came into effect. They provided for the Australian Government to assume responsibility for funding and delivering national and state level services and for the establishment of an elected Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC). They also allowed for mainland taxation, social security, immigration, biosecurity, customs and health arrangements, including Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, to be extended to Norfolk Island.
The Australian Government placed the NIRC in administration following a public inquiry in 2021. A JSCNCET inquiry was undertaken into suitable models of local governance for Norfolk Island in 2023. In response to strong interest from the Norfolk Island community to improve opportunities for civic participation, the Australian Government established a Norfolk Island Governance Committee (NIGC) in 2023, which included three community representatives elected in a community (non-statutory) election.
The recommendations from the 2023 JSCNCET inquiry included that a new local governing model for Norfolk Island be developed and the NIGC provide recommendations on this model reflecting community input. The Australian Government announced the new governance model for Norfolk Island on 13 November 2024, broadly based on recommendations from the Committee.
The department is aware of local community groups claiming to be independent governing bodies for Norfolk Island, and that Norfolk Island is separate to Australia. These groups and their activities have no basis in law.