03 September 2015

Norfolk Island's year round time zone is changing permanently. It means in the early hours of Sunday 4 October 2015 at 2am, Norfolk Island time will become 1.30am. Residents and visitors will need to set their clocks and watches back by half an hour as they go to bed on the night of Saturday 3 October 2015. I will again remind residents closer to the date.

This change will provide easier access for local businesses when engaging the mainland. This is also likely to bring increased opportunities and appeal for the Island's major tourist market.

23 October 2015

A better than budgeted result in 2014/15 and improvements in performance of the three key government entities on Norfolk Island reflect a deliberate instruction by the Australian Government to find savings and build cash reserves in order to improve the future sustainability of each entity.

Section 14 of the Commonwealth Finance Minister's (Norfolk Island) Orders 2011 (as amended) (CFMOs) requires the Administrator to publicly release a final budget outcome report for 2014/15 within four months of the end of the budget year.

Media Release

03 June 2015

From Tuesday 9 June until Friday 12 June 2015, the Norfolk Island community are encouraged to make a time to speak with visiting Australian Government staff about government payments, visas and tax.

The new Australian Government Information Centre is located at the World Traders Building in Burnt Pine and will open during business hours on weekdays. The community can access computer terminals to source information, brochures, factsheets and other materials.

Media Release

05 March 2015

The commemoration of Foundation Day is an important reminder of the long held and close bonds between the Australian mainland and the Territory of Norfolk Island.

Like Australia Day, ANZAC Day and Bounty Day, Foundation Day is another opportunity to pay tribute to those who came before us.  So today, we celebrate some of the history which made us who we are.

Media Release

19 December 2014

I have today, at the request of the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, The Hon. Jamie Briggs, released the Deloitte Access Economics report “Norfolk Island government business analysis—November 2014”.

Kieran Gilbert: Emotions are running high on Norfolk Island, the remote self-governing territory of Australia in the Pacific Ocean. Its 1700 residents are waiting to hear from the Commonwealth about whether Norfolk Island's unique system of Government will remain. The announcement is expected within the next month from the Minister Jamie Briggs. There's a new administrator—former Howard Government minister and broadcaster Gary Hardgrave who hasn"t made that many friends since he began that role on 1 July.

Media Release

19 December 2014

Following the recent community consultations, the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Hon. Jamie Briggs MP has asked me to release the independent analysis of the Norfolk Island economy by the Centre for International Economics (CIE).

The executive summary of the CIE report which notes substantial economic improvements from the extension of the Australian taxation and social security systems:

Media Release
20 October 2014

I join with Assistant Minister the Hon Jamie Briggs MP in welcoming the Report into Norfolk Island's Economic Future by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories.

The unanimous Report of the Joint Standing Committee could not be more direct in its recommendations. The Committee and the Report offer encouragement for the future potential for Norfolk Island.