Commonwealth act

Christmas Island (Request and Consent) Act 1957

RepealedCTH

This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Act Number

102 of 1957

Collection

act

Plain English Summary

1/10 complexity

What this law does

This short law allowed Australia to take over Christmas Island from the United Kingdom.

Why it was needed

At the time, Christmas Island was British territory. Because of constitutional rules in the 1950s, only the UK Parliament could pass the legislation needed to transfer the island to Australia. However, the UK would only do this if Australia formally asked them to and consented.

What it does

Requests the UK Parliament to make a law allowing the Queen to place Christmas Island under Australian authority
Gives consent to that UK law being made
Covers any practical matters connected to the transfer

Who it affects This applied to the territory of Christmas Island (in the Indian Ocean) and was the Australian side of the legal process that transferred the island from British to Australian administration in 1958.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in Christmas Island (Request and Consent) Act 1957.

Christmas Island (Request and Consent) Act 1957

CHRISTMAS ISLAND (REQUEST AND CONSENT).

No. 102 of 1957.

An Act to requesst, and consent to, the Enactment by the Parliament of the United Kingdom of an Act enabling the Queen to place Christmas Island under the Authority of the Commonwealth.

[Assented to 13th December, 1957.]

BE it enacted by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, the Senate, and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Australia, as follows:—

Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Christmas Island (Request and Consent) Act 1957.

Commencement.

This Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

Request and consent to enactment of United Kingdom Act.

The Parliament requests, and consents to, the enactment by the Parliament of the United Kingdom of an Act enabling the Queen to place Christmas Island (being the Island of that name situated in the Indian Ocean) under the authority of the Commonwealth and making provision for matters incidental to the placing of that Island under that authority.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 Christmas Island (Request and Consent) Act 1957