Ruqayyah Snyder
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia, with the Australian Government providing Commonwealth-level government services and making laws for the territory. The islands are home to a unique blend of Cocos Malay and Australian heritage, with Cocos Malay being the predominant community on Home Island. In 1955, the Australian Government established a permanent presence on West Island, and in 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia. While issues of inequality persist, many Islanders say they are grateful to be part of Australia, enjoying benefits including education and health services.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Cocos Islands became a part of Australia | 1955 (officially), 1984 (after a vote) |
| Who owns Cocos Islands | Australia |
| Population | 2 populated islands, Home Island and West Island |
| Population demographics | Cocos Malay community, descendants of workers from Java, East Africa, etc. |
| Religion | Predominantly Muslim |
| Voting rights | Cocos Islanders vote federally in the Northern Territory |
| Defence | Responsibility of the Australian Defence Force |
| Government services | Provided by the Australian Government |
| State laws | Western Australian laws are applied unless specifically excluded |
| Judicial power | Western Australian courts |
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What You'll Learn
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands residents who are Australian citizens vote in federal elections
- The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia
- The Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in 1984
- The Australian Government provides Commonwealth-level government services
- The Cocos (Keeling) Islands comprise the Australian Indian Ocean Territories
Cocos (Keeling) Islands residents who are Australian citizens vote in federal elections
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia. The islands were discovered in 1609 by the British sea captain William Keeling, but no settlement occurred until the early 19th century. In 1825, Captain John Clunies-Ross, a Scottish trader, landed on the islands on his voyage from the East Indies. In 1826, Alexander Hare, a British merchant, and a group of his slaves were brought to the islands by Robert Clunies-Ross. The Clunies-Ross family ruled the islands as a private fiefdom for almost 150 years. The British annexed the islands in 1857, and for the next century, they were administered from either Ceylon or Singapore.
In 1955, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands officially became an Australian Territory. In 1978, the Australian Government purchased all of the Clunies-Ross land on the islands for $6.25 million. In 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in a UN-supervised referendum. This referendum was held after extensive preparations by the Australian government and discussions that began in 1982. The residents were offered three choices: full independence, free association, or integration with Australia. 229 out of 261 eligible islanders voted for integration, 21 for free association, nine for independence, and two failed to indicate a preference.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts through a non-resident Administrator appointed by the Governor-General. The Australian Government has the power to make laws for the territory under Section 122 of the Australian Constitution. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands have no state-level government, so the Australian Government is responsible for providing state-type laws and services to the territory.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands residents who are Australian citizens can vote in federal elections. For voting purposes, the islands are an electoral district of the Commonwealth Division of Lingiari in the Northern Territory. Cocos Islanders are represented in the House of Representatives by the member for the Division of Lingiari and in the Senate by Northern Territory senators. At the 2022 Australian federal election, the Labor Party received absolute majorities from Cocos electors in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Despite being closer to Jakarta than Darwin, the votes from the Cocos (Keeling) Islands are counted in the federal seat of Lingiari, covering more than 99% of the Northern Territory.
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The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia
The islands became a part of the British Empire in 1857 when they were annexed by Captain Stephen Grenville Fremantle of HMS Juno. Over the next few decades, responsibility for the islands shifted from the Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to the Governor of the Straits Settlement (now Singapore). In 1903, the islands officially became part of the Straits Settlement.
In 1955, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands became an Australian Territory. However, the Clunies-Ross family, who had been the landlords and lawmakers of the islands, continued to maintain control until the 1970s. In 1978, the Australian Government purchased most of the family's land on the islands. In 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in an Act of Self-Determination supervised by the United Nations. This vote extended to the residents of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as Australian citizens.
The islands are now home to a unique blend of Cocos Malay and Australian heritage and culture. The Australian Government provides Commonwealth-level government services to the islands through the Christmas Island Administration and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands have no state-level government, so the Australian Government is responsible for providing state-type laws and services to the territory. The territory is administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development, on behalf of the Minister with responsibility for the Territories.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are a popular tourist destination, known for their clear azure waters and diverse marine life, including turtles, reef sharks, dolphins, and Manta Rays. The islands are also an important habitat for wildlife, with over 60 native plant species and 39 breeding or resident bird species.
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The Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in 1984
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an Australian external territory in the Indian Ocean, comprising a small archipelago approximately midway between Australia and Sri Lanka and relatively close to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The territory's dual name (official since the islands' incorporation into Australia in 1955) reflects that the islands have historically been known as either the Cocos Islands or the Keeling Islands. The territory consists of two atolls made up of 27 coral islands, of which only two – West Island and Home Island – are inhabited. The population of around 600 people consists mainly of Cocos Malays, who mostly practise Sunni Islam and speak a dialect of Malay as their first language.
The 1984 referendum was a decisive "Act of Self-Determination", supervised by the United Nations. The three options presented to the 261 eligible islanders were independence, free association, or integration with Australia. The votes were recorded as follows: "Independence, 9; Free Association, 21; Integration, 229; Informal, 2". This referendum was one of the most important events in the history of the Cocos Malay people, as it tied their lives, and those of their descendants, to the nation of Australia.
The Australian Government had committed to respecting the religious beliefs, traditions, and culture of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. In 1992, the Territories Law Reform Act amended the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act to introduce a modern body of Australian law to the islands, including provisions to apply most Australian Government laws and regulations and to apply Western Australian laws to the territory.
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The Australian Government provides Commonwealth-level government services
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia. In 1955, the Australian Government established a permanent presence on West Island, one of the two populated islands in the Cocos archipelago, marking the beginning of the territory's integration with Australia.
In 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in a United Nations-supervised act of self-determination. This vote extended to the residents of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as those enjoyed by their fellow Australians.
The Minister with responsibility for the Territories has the power to make Ordinances for the peace, order, and good government of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This includes the power to amend, repeal, or suspend applied Western Australian laws where they are not consistent with Australian Government policy. The Minister also has all state-level Ministerial and administrative powers under applied Western Australian laws, as well as the power to vest or delegate these powers.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an electoral district of the Commonwealth Division of Lingiari in the Northern Territory for the purposes of enrolment and voting in federal elections. Cocos (Keeling) Islanders are represented in the House of Representatives and the Senate by Northern Territory senators.
The Australian Government is committed to the sustainable provision of essential services and infrastructure to the people of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. This includes services such as education and health, with a total of $170 million committed towards this in 2023-24. The IOTHS operates a clinic on both Home Island and West Island, with a doctor, nurses, health workers, a community services officer, and a dental assistant residing on the islands. Like many other remote locations on the mainland, specialist services are not usually available on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, but some specialists, such as dentists and paediatricians, visit on a regular basis.
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The Cocos (Keeling) Islands comprise the Australian Indian Ocean Territories
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are an external territory of Australia, comprising the Australian Indian Ocean Territories along with Christmas Island. The islands were annexed by the British Empire in 1857, and responsibility for them was transferred to the Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and then to the Straits Settlements (now Singapore). The islands officially became part of the Straits Settlements in 1903.
In 1955, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands became an Australian territory, with the Australian government establishing a permanent presence on West Island. However, the Clunies-Ross family, who had owned the islands since 1886, continued as the Cocos Malays' employer, landlord, and lawmaker until 1978, when the Australian government purchased most of the family's land.
In 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in an Act of Self-Determination supervised by the United Nations. This vote extended the residents of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands the same rights, responsibilities, and obligations as those enjoyed by their fellow Australians. The Australian government also committed to respecting the religious beliefs, traditions, and culture of the Cocos Malay community.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands have no state-level government, so the Australian government is responsible for providing state-type laws and services to the territory. The territory is administered by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities & Regional Development, on behalf of the Minister with responsibility for the Territories. An Administrator, appointed by the Governor-General, represents the Minister on Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. All Australian government laws and regulations apply to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands unless specifically excluded.
The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are known for their clear azure waters and diverse marine life, including turtles, reef sharks, dolphins, and Manta Rays. The islands are also home to a unique blend of Cocos Malay and Australian heritage and culture.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Cocos Islands are an external territory of Australia.
The Cocos Islands became an Australian territory in 1955. In 1984, the Cocos Malay population voted to integrate with Australia in an Act of Self Determination supervised by the United Nations.
The Cocos Islands are home to a unique blend of Cocos Malay and Australian heritage. The Cocos Malay community on Home Island are predominantly Muslim.
