Tourists for New South Scotland

Hugh McFarlane and Joseph Lau in New South Scotland.

The Austenasian Crown Dependency of New South Scotland yesterday hosted a visit from three tourists.

Hugh and Paul McFarlane and Joseph Lau visited the land, which is an enclave of the University of New South Wales.

Formerly a colony of New Wessex before being ceded to Austenasia in January 2013, New South Scotland has been administered on the Empire’s behalf since June 2014 by the nearby nation of Zealandia. A treaty is currently being negotiated to formalise this arrangement.

The trio of tourists explored New South Scotland, taking photographs of the crown dependency. Hugh had made an Austenasian flag to be photographed with while on the visit.

This is the second time that Austenasia has been visited by tourists, the first only having been last week. Although the visitors kept an eye out for Queen Astrid, the governing commissioner of the land, she was not available to welcome them.

First tourist visit to Austenasia

Jonny Blair with his well-travelled flag of Northern Ireland outside the Imperial Residence.

Austenasia hosted its first ever tourist this morning.

Jonny Blair, a travel writer, visited Wrythe to write an entry for his journey blog “Don’t Stop Living“. He was given a guided tour of Wrythe by Emperor Jonathan I, met the Emperor Mother and Crown Princess, and spoke with the Emperor about Austenasia and other small states around the world.

After tea and biscuits in Wrythe and posing for some photographs with his own Northern Irish flag (which has been to over ninety countries), Mr. Blair went with the Emperor to be given a guided tour of the nearby nation of Orly.

After looking around Orly and hearing about its history and government, Mr. Blair was accompanied by the Emperor to Carshalton train station, from where he departed.

Mr. Blair’s visit raised the matter of the Empire acquiring physical items which in future could be sold or presented to tourists – postcards, fridge magnets and the like – as well as a passport stamp for when they cross the border.

Jonathan I speaks on the fifth anniversary of the Austenasian Civil War

Writing this, Our Imperial Majesty sits in a room where, five years ago today, we were as Crown Prince immediately before the outbreak of the Austenasian Civil War. We are in the Park Annexe of Carshalton Methodist Church as our sister Crown Princess Caroline sets up an event in the church hall next door. Five years ago today, however, she attended the Vestry Conference, called to arrange a peaceful solution to her claim to the Throne, which had passed the previous month from our father Terry I to Esmond III. Of course, the conference failed, and we came into this room to confront our sister after negotiations broke down. It was immediately after leaving here that she announced an intention to overthrow the Emperor and the Austenasian Civil War was declared.

Despite the small scale of the war in military terms – only two “battles” being fought, neither truly deserving of the title – it left a permanent mark on Austenasia. What was in theory a victory for parliamentary sovereignty and the rule of law over untempered hereditary right became a victory of the Throne over the Representatives.

Some have pointed out what could have been; had Esmond III been made Regent for an Empress Caroline, he and his army would have left Stanley Park – the school at which most government business took place after his ascension to the Throne – mere weeks before Caroline would have come of age to rule herself. Overlooking this solution cost the Empire much in terms of stability, and the reign of our predecessor likely would not have happened should Esmond have only been Regent.

However, neither would many other things immensely important to the modern-day Empire have taken place had not the civil war. We cannot change the past, but we must reflect on and learn from it. On a positive note, the war brought many benefits to the Empire: a massive increase in local knowledge of Austenasia, a military which functioned in practice as well as in theory, a balance between the power of the Prime Minister and of the Throne, a “golden age” of court culture, and ultimately the foundation of our friends the Orlian nations.

Despite an increasing tendency towards eccentric ideas once his power was secure, Esmond III showed himself to be a great leader during the Austenasian Civil War and the months after it. He is almost single-handedly responsible for the making of the modern day Austenasian Monarchy and for the position of the Empire among the Carshalton Nations; one can only image what great things he would have had a chance to do had his first three months on the Throne not have had to have been dedicated to holding on to it.

As we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Austenasian Civil War, let us not only mourn the tragedy of a nation divided. Let us also reflect upon and appreciate the dynamic new order of things it brought in. Had the war never occurred, Austenasia may never have expanded beyond a small community of seven people. It was the war which resulted in us first reaching out to the wider world, and that, if nothing else, can only have been a positive outcome.

ICJA

Park Annexe of Carshalton Methodist Church, 7 March 2015

Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy elected Prime Minister

Portrait of Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy, newly-elected Prime Minister of Austenasia.

HIH Lord Dux Joseph Kennedy, Count of Greater Richmond, has been elected Prime Minister of Austenasia with 68.3% of the vote.

Lord Dux Joseph had run as an independent against Countess Eritoshi of Memphis, who had sought to be re-elected on an environmentalist platform. The Countess received 21.95% of the vote, while 9.75% of voters chose to abstain.

Forty one people voted out of an electorate of forty eight – an impressive 85.4% turnout. This was up from a 60% turnout in the previous general election, when Countess Eritoshi was elected in November 2013.

“We congratulate Lord Dux Joseph on his election as Prime Minister, and offer our commiserations to Countess Eritoshi,” Emperor Jonathan I said after announcing the election results. “The Lord Dux worked hard on his campaign, and we look forward to what he will bring to government. We also wish to congratulate the Austenasian people on an impressive turnout – this was your opportunity to have your say in who will lead our government, and you certainly took it.”

Lord Dux Joseph, speaking exclusively to the Austenasian Times, gave the following statement: “It is the greatest honour of my life to be chosen as Prime Minister of the Empire. I shall strive for the remainder of my term to serve the Austenasian people and HIM the Emperor in any way possible.” His official victory speech can be heard here.