AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC TERRITORY

A. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION In
Cabinet Agendum No.1275D an interim report was given on the
progress to the end of July, 1947, of organisation of the
forthcoming Antarctic Expedition, and certain recommendations were
made with regard to long range planning for the development of the
Australian Antarctic Territory. Cabinet approval was given on 15th
August, 1947.

Since then the first meeting of the Antarctic Scientific Advisory
Committee has been held on 4th September, 1947. Sir Douglas Mawson
was elected Chairman and the scientific programme for the
forthcoming expedition and for future years was discussed.

A further meeting of the Executive Planning Committee was also
held on 4th September, 1947, at which it was decided that the
itinerary of the Wyatt Earp as set out tentatively in Cabinet
Agendum 1275D should be confirmed. It was decided, however, to
revise the itinerary of L.S.T- 3501 to enable it to carry out a
reconnaissance of the Cape Freshfield area of the Antarctic
Continent late in the season and on the same journey as the winter
party is landed on Macquarie Island. This reconnaissance will
supplement the work done in the same area by the Wyatt Earp
earlier in the season.

Plans for this year's Expedition including engagement of personnel
are now almost complete. A list of personnel engaged, excluding
naval personnel, is attached as Annex A. L.S.T.3501 will leave
Melbourne for Heard island on 14th or 15th November on its first
journey. The L.S.T. is expected to return to Melbourne in time to
leave for Macquarie Island and the Cape Freshfield area in
January. It is hoped that the Wyatt Earp will leave Hobart for the
Antarctic Continent itself about the middle of December.

Publicity

With a view to consolidating Australian territorial claims in
Antarctica, arrangements have been made to give publicity to the
work the Australian Government is now undertaking. In particular,
regular broadcasts will be made from Heard and Macquarie Islands
and news items based on these broadcasts will be released to the
press in Australia and overseas. So far as circumstances permit,
broadcasts will also be made from the Wyatt Earp itself and dealt
with similarly. Photographers will also accompany each party for
the purpose of making films and taking still photographs, also
intended for wide release.

French Observer
A request has been made by the French Government that it be
permitted to send an observer with the Expedition. The main
reasons for this were that the French sector of Antarctica-Adelie
Land-lies between the two parts of the Australian Territory and
that the French Government was itself unable to send an expedition
there this summer. The French Government has granted refuelling
facilities to the Expedition at the French possession of Kerguelen
Island, 280 miles north west of Heard Island. Owing to the
limitation of space it was not possible for any extra personnel to
be accommodated on the Wyatt Earp but the French Government was
informed that the Australian Government would be happy to provide
accommodation on the L.S.T. on her journey to Macquarie Island and
the Cape Freshfield area. It is understood that the French
observer will arrive towards the end of December to join the
Expedition.

B. OCCUPATION OF HEARD AND McDONALD ISLANDS

It is proposed that the leader of the expedition to Heard island
be authorised to organise the occupation and administration of
Heard and McDonald Islands on behalf of the Commonwealth of
Australia.

It will be recalled that Cabinet has already approved a proposal
to establish scientific and meteorological stations on Heard
Island and to maintain them for an initial period of at least five
years.

Heard and McDonald Islands are situated in the South Indian ocean
about halfway along the great circle route between Perth and Cape
Town. The McDonald Islands, a small precipitous group about 26
miles to the west of Heard island, are of less importance than
Heard Island. They have usually been treated, however, as an
administrative unit with Heard island and there appears to be no
good reason to depart from this practice. A short description of
these islands is attached as Annex B which also summarises known
British and United States activities in relation to the islands.

Present Legal Position regarding Heard and McDonald Islands

It is not necessary at this stage to refer to the position under
international law with regard to these Islands, except to say
that, in the light of events to which reference is made in Annex
B, the United Kingdom probably has a legal claim to Heard Island
although that Government is not satisfied that it would succeed in
establishing its claim should other nations dispute the claim.

This doubt arises in part from the fact that the Island does not
appear to have been occupied by British units for nearly twenty
years. If the United Kingdom doubt be well founded, it would be
open to any other country to establish a legally valid claim by
open, peaceful and continuous occupation. The proposed Australian
occupation has the full concurrence of the United Kingdom
Government which is prepared to transfer any rights it has in
respect of the Island to the Commonwealth. The wise course for
Australia appears to be to take no steps which would reflect on
the United Kingdom's claim.

The McDonald Islands have been regarded as being in the same
administrative unit as Heard Island. So far as is known, neither
the United States nor any other country has openly asserted any
claim in respect of these Islands.

The subsequent procedure by which Australia will legislatively and
administratively complete her title to Heard and McDonald Islands
is at present under careful consideration.

Recommendations

In the light of the foregoing the following recommendations are
made:

(1) That no formal annexation of Heard and McDonald Islands be
made at least at this stage.

(2) That the leader of the Expedition be authorised to refer to
His Majesty's Sovereign rights over Heard and McDonald Islands,
and to initiate a programme of activity that will evidence
continuous and effective Australian occupation of the Islands.

(3) That approval be given for the following steps to be taken
after the arrival of the Expedition at Heard Island:

(a) A formal ceremony will be conducted by Group Captain Campbell
on arrival at Heard Island. This will consist of raising the
Australian flag, reading a prepared declaration which will refer
to His Majesty's sovereign rights over Heard and McDonald Islands
and initiate the Australian occupation of these islands. This
declaration, witnessed and signed, will be inserted in a metal
case which will be enclosed in a cairn erected at the foot of the
flagpole and an exact copy will be returned to the appropriate
Commonwealth authorities. A draft declaration is attached for
approval (Annex C).

(b) A detailed description of the ceremony will be entered in the
ship's log and witnessed.

(c) Immediately following the ceremony a signal will be despatched
whereupon a press release will be issued from Canberra either by
the Prime Minister or by the Minister for External Affairs. This
press release will be prepared by the Department of External
Affairs in consultation with the Attorney-General's Department.

(d) Throughout its stay on Heard Island the Expedition will
forward a series of reports which will be issued likewise as press
releases, each so drafted as to imply that the Expedition is in
effective occupation of Australian territory.

(e) The arrangements already made with the Postmaster-General's
Department for the special post-marking of envelopes posted from
Heard Island will be carried out.

(f) For the duration of the Expedition the Australian flag will be
flown over Heard Island.

(4) That the leader of the Expedition be directed that in the
event of a landing by any other party during the Expedition's stay
on Heard island, he should peacefully assert Australian rights
over the islands. [1]

(SGD.) J.B. CHIFLEY
Prime Minister and Acting Minister for External Affairs