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Jervis Bay Territory (Australia)
Last modified: 2005-02-26 by jonathan dixon
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by António Martins
See also:
Jervis Bay Territory
When the Australian government established the Australian Capital Territory
almost 100 years ago, one of the requirements was that the seat of government should have access to the sea.
Because Canberra is an inland city, a peninsula on the South
Coast of New South Wales (Jervis Bay) was made Commonwealth territory as well.
There is no requirement, however, for Jervis Bay to be connected to
Canberra. JBT has never officially been
part of ACT and so was not granted self-government together with the ACT in 1988. The planned rail link between Canberra and Jervis Bay has never materialised.
Miles Li, 10-11 August 2004
Some facts on Jervis Bay:
- "Territory was acquired by the Commonwealth from the State of New South
Wales in 1915 so that the national seat of government (Canberra ACT) would
have access to the sea."
- The Jervis Bay Territory (JBT) (611 residents, majority Royal Australian
Navy personnel) is comprised of 7400 hectares, 90% of which has been granted
to the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community (WBAC) (180 residents), which has
leased
back the land & water comprising the Booderee National Park (formerly
Commonwealth Jervis Bay National Park and Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens) to the
Director of National Parks, a Commonwealth employee and managed jointly
between him and the representatives of the WBAC.
- "The Governor-General [of the Commonwealth, Queen's representative in
Australia] in Council has the power to make ordinances for the peace, order
and good government of the Territory." and these ordinances are administered
by a Commonwealth Minister.
- The Australian Federal Police (a Commonwealth authority, with its own
flag) provides policing services to the territory.
- "Each court of the Australian Capital Territory has jurisdiction in, and
in relation to, the Territory as if the Territory formed part of the
Australian Capital Territory. In 1995 the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community
Council was given a limited by-law [sic] making power which has not been
exercised to date."
- JBT is in the Commonwealth Electoral Division of Fraser, as pointed out
on a previous posting, but is *not* represented at local or state government
level, however residents "have access to the decision making process through
community organisations, including Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council
and the Jervis Bay Residents Group."
- The State of New South Wales (NSW), which surrounds the land based and
some sea areas of JBT, does not have any jurisdiction over the territory,
but there is an ordinance which applies NSW legislation on rural fires to
the territory.
- A magistrate in NSW or Australian Capital Territory (ACT) may issue a
warrant in relation to premises in the JBT.
- There is a Jervis Bay Administration which provides on behalf of the
Commonwealth some services directly, but others are carried out under
contract by agencies of the ACT Government and other private companies and
agencies.
Sources:
Commonwealth Government, Department of Transport and Regional Services
(DOTARS)
http://www.dotars.gov.au/terr/jervis/
Commonwealth Government, Department of the Environment and Heritage
http://www.deh.gov.au/parks/booderee/
Parliament of Australia
http://www.aph.gov.au/
Colin Dobson, 12 August 2004
Flag use in Jervis Bay
The Australian Government publication 'Australian Flags' [ozf98] notes that Jervis Bay Territory
does not have its own flag. I have been to Jervis Bay once many years ago, and the only flag I saw in
the village was the National Flag at the Police Station.
Miles Li, 11 August 2004