Administration Ordinance 1975 (CKI)

TERRITORY OF COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS

Administration Ordinance 1975

Ordinance No. 1, 1975

made under the

Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act 1955

Compilation No. 3

Compilation date: 19 November 2025

Includes amendments: F2025L01385

About this compilation

This compilation

This is a compilation of the Administration Ordinance 1975 that shows the text of the law as amended and in force on 19 November 2025 (the compilation date).

The notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of provisions of the compiled law.

Uncommenced amendments

The effect of uncommenced amendments is not shown in the text of the compiled law. The details of amendments made up to, but not commenced at, the compilation date are underlined in the endnotes. Any uncommenced amendments affecting the law are accessible on the Register (www.legislation.gov.au).

Application, saving and transitional provisions

If the operation of a provision or amendment of the compiled law is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.

Editorial changes

For more information about any editorial changes made in this compilation, see the endnotes.

Presentational changes

The Legislation Act 2003 provides for First Parliamentary Counsel to make presentational changes to a compilation. Presentational changes are applied to give a more consistent look and feel to legislation published on the Register, and enable the user to more easily navigate those documents.

Modifications

If the compiled law is modified by another law, the compiled law operates as modified but the modification does not amend the text of the law. Accordingly, this compilation does not show the text of the compiled law as modified. Any modifications affecting the law are accessible on the Register.

Self‑repealing provisions

If a provision of the compiled law has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.

Contents

1 Short title

4 Definitions

5 Office of Administrator

6 Acting Administrator

7 Deputy Administrator

9 Oath of Administrator etc

10 Employment of other persons

11 Transitional

Schedule 

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

An Ordinance to provide for the appointment of an Administrator of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands and for the Employment of other Persons for the purpose of the Government of the Territory

1  Short title

  This Ordinance may be cited as the Administration Ordinance 1975.

4  Definitions

  In this Ordinance:

Acting Administrator means a person appointed under section 6 to act as Administrator.

Administrator means the Administrator of the Territory appointed under section 5.

Deputy Administrator means the person appointed under section 7 to be the deputy of the Administrator.

5  Office of Administrator

 (1) There shall be an Administrator of the Territory appointed by the Governor‑General by commission to administer the Territory on behalf of Australia.

 (2) The Administrator holds office during the Governor‑General’s pleasure.

 (3) The Administrator must exercise the powers and perform the functions of the office of the Administrator in accordance with any instructions given by the Minister.

6  Acting Administrator

 (1) The Minister may appoint a person to act as Administrator and administer the Territory during a vacancy in the office of Administrator or during any period, or during all periods, when the Administrator is absent from duty or is unable, for any reason, to exercise the powers and perform the functions of the office.

 (2) An Acting Administrator has and may exercise all the powers and perform all the functions of the Administrator.

 (3) The appointment of a person to act as Administrator, and an act done by an Acting Administrator in that capacity, must not, in any proceedings, be questioned on the ground that the occasion for the appointment, or for the exercise of powers or performance of functions of the office, had not arisen or had ceased.

 (4) The Minister may, at any time, terminate the appointment of an Acting Administrator.

7  Deputy Administrator

 (1) The Minister may appoint a person to be the deputy of the Administrator.

 (2) The Deputy Administrator has all the powers and functions of the Administrator, including any of the powers and functions delegated to the Administrator under section 17 of the Interpretation Ordinance 1955, and may exercise those powers and perform those functions where:

 (a) there is a vacancy in the office of Administrator or during any period, or during all periods, when the Administrator is absent from duty or is unable, for any reason, to perform the duties of the office; and

 (b) either:

 (i) there is no Acting Administrator; or

 (ii) the Acting Administrator is also absent from duty or is unable, for any reason, to exercise and perform the powers and functions of the office.

 (3) The Minister may, at any time, terminate the appointment of the Deputy Administrator.

9  Oath of Administrator etc

 (1) The Administrator, an Acting Administrator or the Deputy Administrator must, before entering on the duties of the office, make and subscribe an oath or affirmation in the form in the Schedule.

 (2) An oath or affirmation under this section shall be made and subscribed before the Governor‑General or a person authorized for the purpose of this section by the Minister.

10  Employment of other persons

 (1) The Minister may, for the purpose of the government of the Territory:

 (a) employ such other persons as the Minister considers necessary; and

 (b) determine the terms and conditions on which those persons are employed.

 (2) The Minister may require a person employed under this section to make and subscribe an oath or affirmation of allegiance or office, or both, in a form approved by the Minister and before such person as the Minister directs.

11  Transitional

 (1) The Governor‑General may, before the date fixed under subsection 2(2), exercise the power conferred on him by section 5 and, if he does so, the person appointed by him to be the Administrator may make and subscribe the oath or affirmation required by section 9 before the date so fixed.

 (2) A person appointed to be the Administrator in accordance with subsection (1) does not hold office until the date fixed under subsection 2(2).

Schedule 

(section 9)

Oath

  I,  , do swear by Almighty God (or the person may name a god recognised by the person’s religion) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to (insert name of the Sovereign), (insert applicable pronoun, such as “His” or “Her”) Heirs and Successors according to law, and that I will well and truly serve (insert applicable pronoun, such as “Him” or “Her”) in the office of (insert applicable office, such as Administrator, Acting Administrator or Deputy Administrator) of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Affirmation

  I,  , do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to (insert name of the Sovereign), (insert applicable pronoun, such as “His” or “Her”) Heirs and Successors according to law, and that I will well and truly serve (insert applicable pronoun, such as “Him” or “Her”) in the office of (insert applicable office, such as Administrator, Acting Administrator or Deputy Administrator) of the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

Endnotes

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

The endnotes provide information about this compilation and the compiled law.

The following endnotes are included in every compilation:

Endnote 1—About the endnotes

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history

Abbreviation key—Endnote 2

The abbreviation key sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.

Legislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4

Amending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.

The legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended (or will amend) the compiled law. The information includes commencement details for amending laws and details of any application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.

The amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision (generally section or equivalent) level. It also includes information about any provision of the compiled law that has been repealed in accordance with a provision of the law.

Editorial changes

The Legislation Act 2003 authorises First Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial and presentational changes to a compiled law in preparing a compilation of the law for registration. The changes must not change the effect of the law. Editorial changes take effect from the compilation registration date.

If the compilation includes editorial changes, the endnotes include a brief outline of the changes in general terms. Full details of any changes can be obtained from the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

Misdescribed amendments

A misdescribed amendment is an amendment that does not accurately describe how an amendment is to be made. If, despite the misdescription, the amendment can be given effect as intended, then the misdescribed amendment can be incorporated through an editorial change made under section 15V of the Legislation Act 2003.

If a misdescribed amendment cannot be given effect as intended, the amendment is not incorporated and “(md not incorp)” is added to the amendment history.

Endnote 2—Abbreviation key

Endnote 3—Legislation history

Endnote 4—Amendment history