Declaration
Independence of Papua New Guinea, 1975
The Papua New Guinea Independence Act, 1975 withdrew all Australian sovereignty over Papua New Guinea with effect from 16 September 1975, the date nominated by Papua New Guinea's own House of Assembly, ending Australia's administration under the earlier League of Nations mandate and UN Trusteeship Agreement over the Territory of New Guinea.
What happened
The Papua New Guinea Independence Act, 1975 received Royal Assent on 9 September 1975. Its preamble recited that the Territory of Papua had been administered by Australia as a Crown possession, while the Territory of New Guinea, a former German possession, had been administered by Australia first under a League of Nations mandate and then, from 13 December 1946, under a UN Trusteeship Agreement approved by the General Assembly; the two territories were later administered jointly and became known together as Papua New Guinea.[1] The preamble further recorded that "on 18 June 1975 the House of Assembly nominated 16 September 1975 as the date on which Papua New Guinea is to become independent," and that the General Assembly had resolved on 13 December 1974 that the Trusteeship Agreement would cease to be in force on that date.[1] Section 4 provided: "On the expiration of the day preceding Independence Day, Australia ceases to have any sovereignty, sovereign rights or rights of administration in respect of or appertaining to the whole or any part of Papua New Guinea," with "Independence Day" defined in Section 3 as 16 September 1975.[1]
Sources for this page
Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.
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1.
Claim: The Papua New Guinea Independence Act, 1975, given Royal Assent on 9 September 1975, recited that the Territory of New Guinea had been administered by Australia first under a League of Nations mandate and then, from 13 December 1946, under a UN Trusteeship Agreement approved by the General Assembly, and that "on 18 June 1975 the House of Assembly nominated 16 September 1975 as the date on which Papua New Guinea is to become independent," with the General Assembly having resolved on 13 December 1974 that the Trusteeship Agreement would cease on that date. Section 3 defined "Independence Day" as 16 September 1975, and Section 4 provided: "On the expiration of the day preceding Independence Day, Australia ceases to have any sovereignty, sovereign rights or rights of administration in respect of or appertaining to the whole or any part of Papua New Guinea."
- Parliament of Australia, Papua New Guinea Independence Act 1975 (No. 98 of 1975) (9 September 1975) link, Preamble and Sections 3-4. Government perspective or primary official source Source record