board77

I thought this might amuse our local libertarians, not to mention board77ers in general.

In 1970, a wheat farmer in Western Australia, Leonard Casley, got into a dispute with the State Government over draconian regulation. As a result, he declared that he had seceded from Australia and formed his own independent country, the Hutt River Principality. He now styles himself ‘His Royal Highness Prince Leonard of Hutt’. He delivered letters to Perth, Canberra and the Queen announcing his secession, and proceeded to mint his own money, distribute passports and grant knighthoods to his loyal followers. HRH Prince Leonard has claimed that he is still loyal to Queen Elizabeth II.

The province is some 75 square kilometers in size and has a population of about 30. However, it recognizes a total of 13,000 citizens. Chief exports include wildflowers, agricultural produce, and stamps and coins. Tourism is also important. The principality has no standing army, although a number of citizens have been awarded military commissions. Royal Guardsmen attend the Prince at formal occasions. It is, in effect, an absolute Monarchy, although the powers of the Prince are bound in part by the 1970 Bill of Rights and the actions of the Legislative Council. At various times, Constitutions have been considered, although none has yet been adopted. The royal family consists of Prince Leonard, his wife, Princess Shirley, and their adult children, including Crown Prince Ian.

Hutt River is the oldest and most successful mico-state in Australia. Other mico-states, including Province of Bumbunga, Sovereign State of Aeterna Lucina, the Duchy of Avram, the Independent State of Rainbow Creek and the Principality of Marlborough have generally petered out. It remains to be seen what will become of the more recent Principality of United Oceania and the Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands.

The Australian Government does not reconise the Hutt River Province (nor do any other Governments), but in general Prince Leonard is considered a harmless eccentric and is something of a celebrity, with his own display in the National Museum in Canberra.

I think the whole thing raises some funny issues of soveriegnity though. Apparently, some countries have accepted Hutt River passports for border crossings. Also, letters from the Government have referred to the Prince as ‘the Administrator’, which he claims is a de facto recognition of his independance. In the end, we ask ourselves – what makes a country?

website

Wikipedia article

I just read this. I'll have to digest it off line to make a good response.

It begs the question about when is secession legal. Can anyone do it? Is it an inherent right? Was it legal for America to secede from the UK?

I think ultimately it's 'legal' only when the original owner, either by opposing military force or by political convenience / necessity deems it so.

True, legal secession is determined by the ability to enforce said secession.

It was legal for the 13 British Colonies because they succeeded in seceding. It was illegal for the 11 Southern States for because they didn't.

CG wrote:

It was legal for the 13 British Colonies because they succeeded in seceding. It was illegal for the 11 Southern States for because they didn't.

Technically, it was because the 13 colonies suceeded in getting other nations to recognise them, while the 11 states didn't. This does, however, come back to how they managed to enforce their independance in fact.

ETA: Some more info -

Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Website also available in French, and including the Constitution and a confirmation of the Principality’s commitment to pursuing causes of justice and independence worldwide.

Official website of the Royal Hutt River Navy. No ships yet, but they’re working on it…

Coins of the Hutt River Province.

HRH Prince Leonard is a scholar and philosopher of some note, holding a number of honorary degrees. He presides over the Royal Hutt River Academy, which studies various branches of knowledge, including mathematics and metaphysics. Heraldry is issued to knights and peers of Hutt River by the Royal College of Heraldry.