Principality of Hutt River
Principality of Hutt River (English: Principality of Hutt River ), formerly the Hutt River Province (HRP ), the name is a dummy state in the Australian state of Western Australia, 595 kilometers north of Perth. On the claimed area is a farm that is operated next to the wheat growing mainly as a tourist attraction.
On April 21, 1970, the farmer Leonard George Casley declared in a letter to the acting Prime Minister of the secession of Australia. This was preceded by a dispute over the state production quota for wheat on his farm. He proclaimed himself regent His Royal Highness Prince Leonard of an independent state ( his farm ) and explained his homestead to the capital " Nain ".
The structure is indeed mentioned in official statements by the Australian authorities, namely, the independence of the territory or the existence of a principality, however, disputed and also based on no basis of international law.
Geography
The Hutt River area claims to be around 75 square kilometers and is located 595 kilometers north of Perth, near Geraldton (95 km), Northampton (42 miles) and south of Kalbarri ( 66 km), a few kilometers from sea.
Population
The " population " consists of about 23 permanent residents, members and friends of the family, together. In addition, several hundred nomadic Aboriginal people from the tribe of Nanda and about 18,000 other foreigners have a citizenship. However, the foreign citizen ( with so-called Overseas Citizenship ) allowed without permission not settle in Hutt River.
History
1969 Leonard George Casley protested the farmer against the restrictions imposed by the Australian central government production quotas for wheat.
On April 21, 1970 Casley sent the " Sezessionsakt " to the acting Prime Minister of Western Australia, Sir David Brand, after all the previous remedies were exhausted. This secession declaration stating that the " Fait Accompli " authorizes the so entrusted body, establish limits without the interests of the Government of Western Australia would be violated. Thus would Casleys original landowners with more than 35 times the size of Monaco, a no longer the " Commonwealth of Australia" belonging territory that would give any more taxes to the central government.
The media hype as a result of this " statehood " was considerable. A recognition of this state by the Australian government was not seriously discussed. The Government of Western Australia did not respond further. The Australian authorities also did not go against Casley for treason as a result of violating the territorial integrity of Australia before. The population ( whites and Aborigines ) certain Casley later stated to her " prince " ( "Prince" ) and " Defender of the Legends".
The Australian government National Museum in Canberra shows as a tourist attraction, a permanent exhibition on the " secession " of the Hutt River Province.
Due to the "Declaration of Independence " of the Principality of Hutt River, some of the examples are followed, particularly in Australia and consider today also as a state. However, these were probably small, as the Principality considered a " second-largest sovereign country of the Australian continent " cultivates still.
A tax or conscription does not exist in the PHR. With effect from 1 October 2005, the long -discussed Constitution of the PHR has come into force with princely decree. The Constitution was published by the Prince in April 2006.
The "sovereignty" of the Principality
According to the three- element theory, a state exists when the national territory, state people and state power are available. The absence of a state of their own violence and due to the lack of international legitimacy of secession, the " Principality of Hutt River" is not a state and is not recognized internationally.
The theoretical sovereignty of the Principality of reasons for the pendants mainly with popular sovereignty, the right of peoples to self-determination and the right of resistance ( against " unreasonable treatment by Australia ").
To justify any alleged state power, took the " Principality " different symbolic measures. So said Prince Leonard Australia the war (without, however, to take military action ). For this purpose, the " Royal Hutt River Defence Forces " were created on paper that were modeled on the Swiss Guard. They consist of the " Royal Hutt River Army ", " Royal Hutt River Navy" and " Royal Hutt River Air Force". However, Australia ignored this declaration of war. Since the "army" also is unarmed, a military use is inconceivable. It is rather a symbolic force. The unarmed soldiers are scattered all over the globe to other countries to improve relations with the Principality of their activities.
It has been possible in the past different people, with Hutt River passport to cross international borders of UN member states, although the States concerned does not officially recognize the Principality. This is often misinterpreted by the pass holders as recognition by those States.
Since 2008, there is a decision of the European Parliament, where the passes of the PHR be declared as " fantasy passports " and officially declared invalid. The German representative of the PHR in Berlin has discontinued the practice since 2010 and refers on its website to potential criminal activity in connection with citizenship, passports, visas and academic titles of the PHR. The Berlin representative has Prince Leonard several times personally call attention to the negative developments and their consequences, without that something has changed.