Norfolk Island in customs chaos: Trump strengthens the call for independence!

Norfolk Island in customs chaos: Trump strengthens the call for independence!

Norfolk Island, Australien - Norfolk Island, an outer territory of Australia, which is around 1900 kilometers northeast of Canberra, is the focus of international attention after US President Donald Trump has imported 29 percent of exports from the island. This is done in a context in which Australian exports to the USA are only taxed at 10 percent. The approximately 2000 inhabitants of the island, which are closer to New Zealand than on the Australian mainland, are confused about the high tariffs, since the main source of income on the island, tourism, is usually hardly affected by exports, Remszeitung.de .

The chamber of the Commerce sees the pay decision as confirmation of its sovereignty. She emphasizes that Norfolk Island is not viewed as an expansion of Australia. These developments act as a catalyst for the growing self -determination movement on the island. Brett Sanderson, an activist of the Norfolk Island People for Democracy, hopes that these tariffs will put the question of self -determination in the spotlight while finding that the insulans who have Australian passes and are allowed to take part in national elections often do not feel associated with Australia.

history of autonomy and the current situation

Norfolk Island was largely autonomous until 2010 before it was incorporated into the Australian government system. Many residents were upset by this development, which took place in exchange for a rescue package. In 2015, the local legislative and thus the self -government of the island was abolished, which led to protest. In a referendum, 58 percent of the islanders voted to maintain self -government, but without success. Now the residents are facing a reality managed by Canberra, reports asiapacificreport.nz .

Customs policy affects not only Norfolk Island, but also other Australian outdoor areas such as the Christmas island and the coconut islands. In the international debate about the tariffs, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed sarcastic that Norfolk Island's trade relevance was questionable, while the Minister of Commerce Don Farrell described the situation as "obviously an error". George Plans, the administrator of the island, also confirmed that many residents are perplexed through the customs announcement, especially since the exports of Norfolk Island, such as palm seeds, only take place to a small extent.

effects on the local economy

Despite the controversial customs policy, there are reports that Norfolk Island exports some palm seeds to the USA, but this does not represent a significant source of income. The effects on local families said Brett Sanderson, who realized that these tariffs, although they do not contribute significantly to export, indirectly influence the economic situation. There are also unconfirmed references to a small market for leather foot clothing on the island, which could indicate possible errors in the US data, according to the lawyer John Brown.