<P> In 1927 the Northern Territory administrator devolved authority for the governing of the southern portion of the territory known as Central Australia, with power vested in an administrator resident in Alice Springs . The arrangement was discontinued in 1931 . </P> <P> Papua New Guinea is physically closest of any country to geographically remote Australia, with some of the Torres Strait Islands just off the main island of the country . In 1953, the editor of the conservative Quadrant magazine, Professor James McAuley, wrote that the territory would be "a coconut republic which would do little good for itself", and advocated its "perpetual union" with Australia, with "equal citizenship rights", but this was rejected by the Australian government . Papua New Guinea was granted self - government and full independence in 1975 . </P> <P> Since 2000, proposals for reorganisation have continued to be put forward . For instance, in 2003, Bryan Pape suggested a reorganisation into about twenty states, each with Senate representation . </P> <P> Republicanism, changing mineral wealth and tax distribution have been seen as reasons to revisit federation . Proposals include redivision between the local, state and federal levels of government either consolidation or fragmentation . It has been argued that new technologies in service delivery are enablers of greater decentralisation or are a reason for greater efficiency in centralisation . </P>

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