Interview with Darren Dixon 29 August 2023

Hello Darren. Thank you for agreeing to meet with us at Norfolk Online. To kickstart off, can you please tell me a little about yourself?

Essentially, I’m a Researcher and I’ve been studying Constitutional Law since about 2007. I also am the founder of a website called Constitution Watch, that’s www.constitutionwatch.com.au. I also appear on various different radio shows and some platforms online as well, one would be the livingfree.org platform, that’s Tom Barnett, Dick Patterson with me, as well as David Armstrong. Also, I’m a presenter on the radio show, ‘Know Your Rights’ as well. We travel around the countryside holding seminars. We’ve been doing a bit of a tour over the last three or four months, to most of the capital cities.

What brings you to Norfolk Island?

I’ve been speaking to various members of the Norfolk Island community for about, I would say, in excess of two years now. The plight of Norfolk Island was brought to my attention. I’d actually done a bit of research on NI law because there was some claims in the community about certain things in regards to what Norfolk Island was, that it was actually the Commonwealth and so I went to see if any of these claims were valid and I found that they were not. I actually read a lot of the NI legislation and quite clearly from the 1913 Act, it was clearly not Australia or part of Australia because in Section 10, or somewhere thereabouts, it says that Commonwealth Legislation does not apply on Norfolk Island. But things have actually changed since then.

As in…?

Since 2013, that’s changed obviously, and the Commonwealth are now legislating for Norfolk Island in various shapes and forms. As you’re aware, imposing certain systems of government here that are not wanted by the local people, a vast majority of the local people. Of course, there are some that do want those things, and those people may be relying on benefits and things like that from the Australian Government.

Or perhaps they are people who have moved here who are used to life being a certain way in Australia and feel more comfortable this way…?

It could be. Definitely. I have come over here because, through my connections with some of the people here on Norfolk, there’s been a new government that’s been started up. And that particular government has now branched out and is about to, hopefully, look for some international recognition and bring itself to the world stage, with the hopes to bring self-determination and democracy to the island once again.

Do you think we could win?

Yes, I do believe you can.

What do you think we need to do to win?

Well, what needs to happen, and one thing I’ve been noticing on Norfolk Island, is that people need to realise there’s a bigger picture, that they have to focus on. And the bigger picture is bringing democracy back and self-determination; to not focus on who is actually doing this, because once democracy is installed and the islanders have control of their island again…what democracy brings is, the right to participate in government. Whoever is doing this can be voted out, they can be voted back in, everybody on the island can run for government and that is, essentially, what needs to happen. In the future, for example, property rates here. And from what I understand council rates are rising about 20-25%/year. The council were going to impose quite a substantial increase last year or the year before. They felt pushback from the locals, and they said we will do this increase over four year period, in other words slow incremental steps that have the same outcome. Unfortunately, I don’t believe the islanders and its economy can sustain it. I believe people will be priced off their land. Theres also the introduction of Australian income tax on local earnings, whereas, as you are aware, it only used to apply when Norfolk Islanders went overseas to Australia. When they earned money over there, they would be taxed on it.

Payroll tax has also had a huge impact as well and this is felt hugely within the tourism industry and tours that can no longer run because of award rates and rules. It just can’t work that way anymore.

I think you are saying that it can’t run that way because of the implementation of Australian laws, OH&S and various other laws that make it difficult for a small community to exist and function. I believe you had systems that were in place before. The things the Aust. govt are imposing her are great for Australia, they aren’t suitable here.

Absolutely. We are not a remote community within Australia, we are an isolated island in the middle of the Pacific.

Exactly. It all needs to go back to the people of NI, with regard to making revenue and I believe you had a GST here that sustained the economy of the island, which the government has taken away from you. In regard to the economic stability of the island, reinstatement of GST and abolishing land rates which are detrimental to the community.

We always had a user pays system, so instead if calling it GST, we could call it a levy. It worked well as a user pays system. Now only the locals are penalised. We have eighty year olds who are still working because they are asset rich and cash poor. It’s not sustainable.

Exactly. This is what the new NI Government is about. Its about bringing back the od ways of life, sustainability for the community and the island. The Aust. govt need to realise that what they are doing is an experiment here and they’re starting to realise these things aren’t sustainable, that the types of systems they are bringing here, especially with the limited population is not sustainable. The imposition of rates this year is about $1.8m. Prior to that it was $1.6m. I don’t believe the government needs that revenue; it is purely a system designed to price people off their land. What people need to acknowledge they need their own voice on Norfolk Island, and they need to band together and put their differences aside. If people look towards the future and what it will bring for their children and their children’s children and forget about the squabbling arguments they have now in the present; if they can put that aside and work towards a voice in government and self-determination, people will be able to see this will be a benefit for everyone.

How do you envision this process happening?

That’s a very interesting question. I couldn’t imagine the Aust. govt withdrawing slowly over time, so they would have to withdraw in one go. That’s going to leave a bit of a hole or shortfall for the immediate time straight afterwards. I believe once you establish the GST and adopt some industry here, that all those financial and economic requirements will be met. But of course, there will be a transitional period, where people will have to assist each other, but people need to look at the long term achievement that they will get from this. Noone likes to be dictated to, or told what to do on their own property, and that’s essentially what is going on at the moment. Its not about squabbling between families or with people of different political beliefs, its about putting those things aside to see what you can achieve for your family and future generations. There are so many industries you could introduce here to sustain the economic future of NI.

Like…?

There would be certain crops you could grow. It’s been done in the past as well. I believe the Aust. govt stopped you from doing marijuana plantations for example.

Why do you think Australia took us over in the first place?

Well, you can only really speculate. Theres certain global agendas happening regarding removing people from natural places like NI. It could be various reasons. There is an agenda all nations signed onto, the Agenda 21. That was to reduce people’s use of particular lands, it could be something to do with that. It could possibly be to do with a military base. A lot of island nations are being eaten up and used as military bases and moving whole peoples off their island. It could be something as simple as that. As I said, one can only speculate.

How are you going to get the word out. What is your strategy to get people to join in?

At the moment there are several things we are working on that I can’t actually let out of the bag.

Let me rephrase that how will you get the community involved?

Within about 60-90 days we should have some resolutions back that will show people that NI has the ability to be recognised on the world stage. We’re just putting several things in place at the moment, hopefully within 60-90 days, we should be able to come up with some reportable results.

How do we keep informed of your progress?

People can check out the NI Government website and that address is www.govt.nf. I have been here a week. We had a public meeting last night and that was well received by the community. Norfolk Island is a stunning place, and I would love to come back. What I have noticed is that the people here understand what they’ve got, and they want to keep it in the condition it is in for future generations. I believe that, if they look toward the future and bringing democracy back to Norfolk Island and its people they will be able to realise their dreams.

Thank you for your time and we hope to chat to you next time you are here.

If you have any questions you would like us to ask Darren, please email us at: alisonc@ninet.nf