What is a territory?

Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum

Help Support Aussie Pythons & Snakes Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.

saximus

Almost Legendary
Joined
Oct 4, 2009
Messages
5,769
Reaction score
132
Location
Windsor, NSW
Perhaps my NT friends can help out on this one. I saw an ad for the 7PM Project that said NT might be be becoming a state. My question is what's the difference? It's probably a stupid question but I remember never getting a straight answer even at school. Is it something to do with the fact Arnhem Land is there or nothing to do with that at all?
 
Any land within Australia's national border that is not claimed by one of the states is called a territory. Territories do not have the right to convene their own government or pass laws as the states do. Under the Constitution, the Australian Government makes the laws for the territories.

The confusion between state and territory arises because the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are often treated like states. These two territories, along with Norfolk Island, are self-governing territories. In these three cases, the then Commonwealth passed a law allowing each territory to convene a parliament and make their own laws in a similar manner to the states. Unlike the states, whose powers are defined through the Constitution, the powers of these territories are defined in Australian Government law which grants them the right of self-government. This also means that the Australian Government can alter or revoke these powers at will.
 
It has nothing to do with Arnhem land. I think you need a certain population level to graduate to a state along with the points in the above post.
 
Nothing to do with Arnhem. Like Russel said, it has to do with how they are governed. Basically we are under control of the Commonwealth, we have a parliament and can pass our own laws but if the laws aren't approved by the feds then they can be overturned like the euthenasia laws in the late 90's. The feds can also pass laws on our behalf like the federal intervention in 2008.
 
Ah ok now I get it. I guess I wouldn't have understood much of that as a ten year old so that's why I never got a good answer. So why do they want to change it now?
PS Thanks for the great responses
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top