FACT SHEET 3Who decides we are not a state? |
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• South Australia decided in 1902 to begin discussions with the Federal Government to transfer the Northern Territory from South Australia to the Commonwealth. • The Commonwealth decided in 1911 to complete the transfer and make the Northern Territory a Commonwealth Territory. • As a result, the people of the Northern Territory lost their representation by South Australia at the Commonwealth level. • The Commonwealth decided in 1922 to give the Northern Territory one member of the House of Representatives but with no right to vote on anything. • In 1947 the Commonwealth decided to establish a Northern Territory based Legislative Council with a majority of appointed members. • In 1958 the Commonwealth decided to give the Territory member of the House of Representatives the right to vote but only on laws with a direct impact on the Territory. • In 1968 our one member got full voting rights for the first time. • In 1974 the Commonwealth decided to give the Territory two Senate seats in Canberra and allowed for a fully elected Legislative Assembly in The Territory. • In 1978 the Commonwealth decided to give the Territory limited responsible self government. • In 1996 the Prime Minister and the States expressed ‘in-principle’ support for Northern Territory Statehood. • In 1998 Territory voters decided to reject Statehood by a majority of 51.3% on the terms being offered at a Territory wide referendum. • In 2004 the Territory parliament decided to establish a new Committee to examine Statehood for the Territory on terms that suit the overwhelming majority of Territorians and in a timeframe to suit all Territorians.
Northern Territory Statehood Steering Committee
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