Australian Aborigines
This trend appeared in 1970, when Australian farmer Leonard Kesley declared the secession of his property in protest against grain quotas, proclaiming himself Prince of the province of Hutt River. Prince Leonard and his wife Princess Shirley continue to rule their tiny domain and annually receive thousands of tourists.
Australia has about 20 'nations', Inopressa reports. None of these nations is embarrassed by the fact that their existence has no legal basis. Some are driven by ideological considerations, others have a grudge against local authorities or do not want to pay taxes. 'Australia has long traditions of defying authorities inherited from our convict ancestors,' says His Imperial Majesty George II, or George Cruickshank, a sales manager from Sydney. 'And from the English we inherited eccentricity.' The 38-year-old Cruickshank declared himself Emperor of Atlantium, which consists of his one-room apartment in the port district of Potts Point. His state has about a thousand subjects from Azerbaijan to Peru, and citizenship can be obtained by anyone who fills out an application form and pays three pounds for a certificate with a seal.
A few miles away, in the northern part of Sydney Harbour, lives Prince Paul Vye, who in November seceded from his local municipality after trying for 11 years to obtain permission to build a driveway to his house. He declared that his property is an independent principality, on whose territory he can build whatever he pleases. This right has yet to be defended.
The Gay and Lesbian Kingdom in the Coral Sea is founded on more elevated principles and consists of a handful of tiny islands scattered in the ocean. It is proclaimed the 'homeland' of all gays and lesbians and was founded last year in protest against the government's refusal to recognize same-sex marriage. No one lives on the islands, but the kingdom has its own supreme court, its chairman and an absolute monarch, His Majesty Emperor Dale.
While mini-states appear and disappear, the province of Hutt River celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. Princess Shirley, who is already 76, assures that they have a government document recognizing the province as a legal entity. However, in reality, 'these states will never gain the status of independent ones in Australia,' says professor George Williams from the University of New South Wales. 'It's not a bad way to show defiance to the authorities, but in the end, it's nothing more than a fantasy.'
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