Australia/External Territories

Australia is defined in the Acts Interpretations Act 1901 and includes the following territories and Islands:

• Christmas Island
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Subsection 5Q(1) of the VEA provides specifically that the definition of Australia includes the external territories for many VEA purposes including Part III, IIIAB, some parts of Part IIIB, Parts IIID, VIIA, VIIC and sections 52ZO, 58A, and 132.  Norfolk Island is currently the only external territory of Australia. For the above VEA sections, which cover [glossary:service pension:245], [glossary:income support supplement:118], pension bonus, pension loans scheme, Veterans supplement, [glossary:pension supplement:195] and [glossary:Commonwealth Seniors Health Card:365] purposes it is considered to be part of Australia. The test of residing in Australia does not by itself satisfy the full definition of [glossary:Australian Resident:582], as residency also requires Australian citizenship or the holding of a specified visa.

[glossary:Papua New Guinea:536] and [glossary:Nauru:269] have both previously been external territories of Australia.  Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island, formerly regarded as separate islands, are now part of mainland NSW and Tasmania respectively.