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523 Administrator, Northern Territory [II]

Description

By Amendment of the Act in 1947, a Legislative Council comprising seven official and six elected members with The Administrator as President was created to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Territory. Composition of the Legislative Council was changed by further amendment in 1959 to provide for six official members, three nominated non-official members and eight elected members and for an Administrator's Council to advise the administrator.

The Act was further amended in 1974 to provide for a Legislative Assembly comprising nineteen elected members and for a Speaker to be one of those members elected by the Members. Laws passed by the Assembly were presented to the Administrator for assent. The Administrator was required to reserve laws on specific subjects for the pleasure of the Governor-General who was empowered to assent, withhold his assent or refuse his assent in part to such laws, or return them to the Assembly with recommended amendments.

In 1977, the Commonwealth Government commenced a programme of transferring executive powers to the Legislative Assembly. On 1 January 1977, a separate Northern Territory Public Service was created and administrative powers related to a number of State type activities such as police, fire brigades, local government and correctional services were transferred. Positions of Executive members were created with those members exercising ministerial-type powers in respect of transferred matters and forming an Executive Council to replace the Administrator's Council.

On 1 July 1978, the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act came into force establishing the Northern Territory as a body politic under the crown. This act continued in force the existing Legislative Assembly and created offices of Ministers of the Territory who comprise the Executive Council of the Northern Territory. The Office of Administrator appointed by the Governor-General remained. The Administrator's present function is to administer the Territory on behalf of the Government of the Northern Territory in respect of matters transferred from the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory and on behalf of the Commonwealth in respect of matters retained by the Commonwealth.

A Northern Territory Government comprising Ministers of the Territory was established with full responsibility for a wide range of transferred powers administered through a Northern Territory Public Service and a Treasury. A Northern Territory flag was raised for the first time on 1 July 1978.

Laws passed by the Legislative Assembly are presented to the Administrator who acts with the advice of the Territory Government in respect of transferred powers and with the advice of the Commonwealth in respect of matters not transferred.

Major matters not transferred on 1 July 1978 were mining of uranium and other prescribed substances; Aboriginal land matters; health; education; and the Supreme Court. Powers in respect of health, education and the Supreme Court were progressively transferred from the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory Government.

At the end of 1979 the only major powers retained by the Commonwealth in the Northern Territory were those relating to rights in respect of Aboriginal land and the mining of uranium and other prescribed substances. Although remaining a Territory of the Commonwealth and still subject to laws made under section 122 of the Constitution, the Northern Territory is in most respects self-governing.

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