Politics of Cocos Islands

(courtesy of wikipedia)

The capital of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands is West Island while the largest settlement is the village of Bantam (Home Island). Governance of the islands is based on the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955  and depends heavily on the laws of Australia. The islands are administered from Canberra by the Department of Transport and Regional Services, through a non-resident Administrator appointed by the Governor-General. The current Administrator is Neil Lucas PSM , who was appointed on 30 January 2006 and is also the Administrator of Christmas Island. These two Territories comprise Australia's Indian Ocean Territories. There also exists a unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council with seven seats. A full term lasts four years, though elections are held every two years; approximately half the members retire each two years. Federally, Cocos (Keeling) Islanders form the electorate of Lingiari with Christmas Island and outback Northern Territory.

The islands have a five-person police force but their defence remains the responsibility of Australia