7 Oct 2016

Australia's man in Norfolk chasing backing in London

8:03 am on 7 October 2016

The Australian appointed administrator to Norfolk Island is believed to be in London courting backing for his government's controversial removal of the island's autonomy.

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Photo: Norfolk government

As of July this year the government of Norfolk was reduced to a regional council, but many on the island remain opposed to the actions taken by Canberra.

Last month a group of British MPs visited the island and voiced support for those wanting their autonomy back.

The administrator Gary Hardgrave is now understood to be in London, and the spokesperson for Norfolk's People for Democracy group, former chief minister, Andre Nobbs, said this is unusual, given the island's administrators are typically apolitical.

"It's unprecedented and it demonstrates I think a little bit of the desperation of the Australian Government to justify what's been going on Norfolk Island, particularly as I say there has been an independent cross party delegation from Westminster Parliament to Norfolk Island," he said.

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