We’ll Be Right Back!
Earlier this evening the Prime Minister made the following announcement regarding the Recess of the Austenasian Government: “The Austenasian Government will be entering a period of recess for the duration of the month of April in observance of the Easter season. During this time, no parliamentary sessions or official governmental business will take place unless an urgent matter requires attention. Normal operations are expected to resume at the beginning of May. We wish all subjects and friends of the Empire a peaceful and joyful Easter. Andrew Musgrave,Prime Minister of Austenasia” Parliament was closed for Easter earlier this morning. Treaty Signed with the Grand Duchy of Misberia On 22 March a treaty of Friendship and Mutual Recognition was signed between Austenasia and Misberia. The Treaty was drafted by Acting Chief Ambassador Griffin and signed by Prime Minister Andrew and Grand Duke Otto Green of Misberia. Austenasia looks forward to a long and happy friendship with Misberia. Active Recruitment The Empire is still actively recruiting for new subjects and for people to get involved with the government. Don’t let Austenasia’s April Recess deter you from getting involved! Anyone who is interested is encouraged to fill out the following form on the government’s website:
Prime Minister Musgrave Congratulates U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump
Just hours after the United States presidential election results were confirmed, Prime Minister Andrew Musgrave issued a statement congratulating Donald J. Trump on his victory over Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump, now set to serve as the 47th President of the United States, reclaimed the White House following a closely watched and contentious election season. The Prime Minister released a statement on the official Austenasian Discord server, congratulating Donald Trump on his victory: On behalf of the Empire of Austenasia, I would like to extends heartfelt congratulations to President-elect Donald J. Trump on his successful election to the presidency of the United States. In a heated exchange on the official Austenasian Discord server, users sparred over the Prime Minister’s recent congratulatory message to Donald Trump, with some accusing him of supporting Trump’s political agenda. The controversy erupted shortly after the Prime Minister’s announcement, where he emphasised his diplomatic intentions and reassured critics that he “would have congratulated Kamala [Harris], had she won.” As the discussion continues online, many are left questioning how neutrality should be interpreted in an era of intense political divides, with calls for greater transparency in statements involving contentious international figures.
Nationalisation of the Times
Last evening, it was announced by His Imperial Majesty, Aggelos I, that after nearly 12 years of operation, the Austenasian Times has been officially nationalised by the Government of Austenasia. The Emperor made the announcement with the release of the following statement: “Our Imperial Majesty hereby proclaims the Austenasian Times to be the national newspaper of the Empire of Austenasia, responsible for serving the Austenasian people through the provision of accurate and informative journalism. With the permission of its owner and creator, HSH Lord Jonathan, the Austenasian Times is hereby nationalised, to be the common property of the nation as a whole, and shall from henceforth be overseen by the Ministry for Culture. The Austenasian Times shall be directed by the Editor-in-Chief, which we hereby confirm to since 5 August 2024 have been Lord Mick Griffin, Baron of Glainamar. The Editor-in-Chief shall be appointed at the discretion of the Minister for Culture. The government will support and promote the Austenasian Times but have no direct control over its internal workings or structure and no right to intervene editorially. The Austenasian Times will be committed to due impartiality in regards to controversial subjects and political, social and commercial issues. Any views expressed by the Austenasian Times, whether explicit or implicit, will not necessarily reflect or define those of the Austenasian government” The Times welcomes this announcement, and is most proud. It is very fitting at this time as we will celebrate our 12th Anniversary on the 11th of this month. We would like to thank all parties involved who had a hand in making this happen. Going forward, the Times will strive to bring you the best, impartial, Austenasian news, as it happens. Lord Koff resigns, Cabinet Shuffled Shortly after the announcement made by His Imperial Majesty last evening, Prime Minister, Lord Andrew Musgrave, announced that the Minister for Culture, Lord Sander Koff, had resigned from his Cabinet position. He remains Representative of Oppidum Tubae. As a result, Cabinet was shuffled. The Prime Minister made the announcement with the following statement: “At 18:02 GMT, Lord Sander Koff announced his immediate resignation as Minister ofCulture. Shortly afterward, His Majesty, Emperor Aggelos I, issued an Imperial Edictplacing the newly nationalised Austenasian Times under the jurisdiction of theMinistry of Culture. Given the edict’s implications, filling this ministerial post hasnow become a matter of utmost national importance.I had already been considering a Cabinet reshuffle, so the timing of these events has,in some ways, worked out well.I hereby nominate the following members to my Cabinet, pending the Emperor’sapproval: • Lord Andrew Musgrave – Minister of Culture• Lord John Gordon – Home Secretary• HSH Lord Jonathan – Treasurer• Lord William Wilson – Chief Ambassador and Secretary-General• HIH Crown Prince Shiro – Minister of Defence I would also like to clarify that my appointment to the position of Minister of Cultureis not intended to involve direct control over the editorial independence of theAustenasian Times. Rather, the focus will be on overseeing the eventual hosting ofthe publication on the official austenasia.com website.This reshuffle aims to ensure the smooth running of government considering recentchanges and to further strengthen the Cabinet’s ability to serve the national interest.” The Times would like to wish Lord Koff the best at this time, and the best of luck to this new Cabinet.
Upcoming Referendum Poll Results
On Saturday 5 October, the Austenasian Times conducted a public opinion poll on the Austenasian Discord server to see how the public felt about Prime Minister, Lord Andrew Musgrave’s announcement regarding an upcoming referendum on the allowance of self-ID and gay marriage. The poll asked the following question: “Would you vote in favour of an amendment to allow self-ID and gay marriage?” “Yes” Or “No” The poll had 11 participants with 82% (9) voting in favour of the amendment and 18% (2) voting against it. The Times would like to acknowledge that various participants in the poll were not Austenasian citizens and that the poll was merely to gauge public opinion on the subject. We asked Prime Minister Musgrave how he felt about the result and he responded with the following: “It’s a pleasant surprise, to be sure. But I am conscious that the poll was only seen and voted on by a small handful of the Austenasian population, so the results of it, whilst promising, might not be the results we see when the referendum is held.” There is currently no date set for the referendum. Austenasia Notes
Musgrave Apologies, Announces Referendums
Earlier this evening, Prime Minister, Lord Andrew Musgrave publicly apologized to New Richmond nationalist and former Austenasian Prime Minister, Vera Hewitt and GUM Vice Chair, Newton von Uberquie following a dispute that took place in the Wrythe Public House on 29 September. He made the apology as follows: “I would like to offer my most sincere apologies to Vera Hewitt, former Prime Minister of Austenasia, and to Newton von Uberquie, former Chair of the Grand Unified Micronational and current Vice Chair. Although we do have our differences, I want to say on a personal level, that I respect both of you as micronationalists. Vera was one of the most influential Prime Ministers Austenasia has ever seen, and our nation owes a great debt to her that we will never be able to repay. The language and behaviour displayed by myself was unbecoming of a Prime Minister. Whilst we all have our differences, politically and personally, I think it’s important for there to be civility amongst us.” Prime Minister Musgrave also made a very important announcement on his intention to hold referendums in the near future. “I’d also like to take this opportunity to announce my intention to hold referendums on both marriage equality and the right to self-identification.” It is well known that Lord Musgrave identifies himself as a gay man, and that Austenasia is home to several citizens who identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Lord Musgrave would like to give Austenasians the chance to vote upon two separate referendums, marriage equality and the right to self-ID.
Musgrave Victorious in General Election
The results for the September 2024 General Election are in; Lord Andrew Musgrave is the new Prime Minister of Austenasia. The voting results are as follows: Musgrave:1 – Wrythe4 – Nahona5 – North Nahona2 – Caldari1 – Blue Ridge2 – Procyon10 – Nonresidentials25 – Total O’Halloran:1 – Wrythe1 – Nahona3 – Blue Ridge3 – Nonresidentials8 – Total Lord Musgrave is victorious with 75.75% of the total vote, beating out Lady O’Halloran in every region, except O’Halloran’s home town, Blue Ridge and the Capital, Wrythe, where they tied. The Times would like to congratulate Lord Musgrave on his victory and we look forward to a bright and productive future from his government.
Austenasia to Withdraw from GUM
Acting Prime Minister, Lord Andrew Musgrave, announced this evening via Discord that Austenasia would be withdrawing from the Grand Unified Micronational, effective 12:00 AM BST. Lord Musgrave made the announcement with the following statement: “Hello, everyone. After a lengthy discussion with the Emperor, and with consultation of the Regent, Austenasia will be withdrawing from the Grand Unified Micronational, effective midnight tonight (British Summer Time). This decision has not been made lightly. After careful thought and reflection, it is clear that the circumstances have become too concerning to ignore. The events that have unfolded, particularly the conduct of the Chair and Vice-Chair, have highlighted deeply troubling issues that can no longer be overlooked. Rather than engaging in a fair and respectful contest of ideas, these leaders have resorted to attacking their opposition candidate, Pio, with false and malicious accusations. The baseless claim that Pio is a fascist is nothing more than a deliberate attempt to assassinate his character—an unacceptable tactic used to discredit him for political gain. Such behaviour undermines the core principles of fairness and integrity that the organisation should stand for. As someone who has long voiced concerns about the direction of the GUM, I cannot remain silent any longer. Under the leadership of Henry Clemens, I have no confidence that these issues will be properly addressed. Clemens’ handling of this election campaign has revealed a troubling disregard for the serious concerns of bullying and harassment. His own conduct throughout this period casts doubt on whether the values of decency and respect are still being upheld within the organisation. By ignoring or enabling such behaviour, Clemens and his leadership are fostering a toxic environment where those in power can act without accountability. It is also deeply disheartening to see how far the organisation has strayed from its original mission. It no longer resembles the body that Jonathan fought so hard to build. Until meaningful change occurs, I cannot in good conscience continue to support an organisation that has allowed such behaviour to persist unchecked.” Austenasia has been a member of the GUM since October 2009. His Imperial Majesty, Jonathan I, was the brainchild of Austenasia’s involvement with the organization. In light of recent events which have been previously reported by the Times, Austenasia simply cannot come to terms with the GUM as an organization. The Times hopes that the GUM will resolves its issues in Austenasia’s absence, so that the two parties may establish a working relationship in the future; but for now it will not be possible. Austenasia Notes
General Election Prologue
With the General Election just two weeks away, scheduled for September 24, the candidates have been set and the first polling results are in. The two candidates for Prime Minister in the General Election are: The Times conducted a poll on Saturday to gauge the public’s opinion on the two candidates. The polling question was as follows: “Who are you currently supporting in the upcoming General Election?” The results of the poll are as follows: There were 13 total participants, Lord Andrew Musgrave received 85% of the vote with 11 votes, Lady Addison O’Halloran received 15% of the vote with 2 votes. The Times acknowledges that some participants of the poll were not Austenasian citizens, but the poll is only a gauge of public opinion. Interview with the Election Candidates The Times reached out to both election candidates to get an idea of their election platform and ask questions which have been on many Austenasian’s minds. Lord Andrew Musgrave was happy to conduct an interview, but Lady Addison O’Halloran declined to respond. The following questions were asked to Lord Andrew Musgrave: “I believe Austenasia has seen better days, that’s beyond denial. But I do believe the best of our days are ahead of us. I think Austenasia needs drastic constitutional reform, with nothing off limits. I believe with a streamlined and common sense alteration to the Consitution, we can bring our nation back into greatness. I also think allowing the Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to be elected together, on a joint mandate, and establishing a clear line of succession for the office of Prime Minister, would avoid a situation like the one that occurred recently from happening again.” “Hopefully the planned reforms will inspire others back into the fold, as it inspired John Gordon to return to politics. If that doesn’t work, the reforms should allow other, more energised candidates to partake in mainstream politics.” “I think it’s more complicated than that. I recalled the GUM delegates because of the upcoming election, unaware of the 14 day limit. Once I was made aware of the limit, I actively negotiated with the two GUM chairs to resolve my concerns. My whistleblowing was met with discourse and me being removed from the lobby, which doesn’t give me much confidence in the future of the GUM, nor a working relationship if Newton and Clemems were to win the upcoming election. That’s why I’ve opted to support the Pio Lowe-Stefan campaign. Our relationship with the GUM may be salvaged if Pio and Stefan are elected.” “I can’t go into too much detail regarding this, but there’s been some discussions about the sustainability of the monarchy. That’s all I can say.” “All in good time. A full and detailed plan will be revealed in the coming days.” “Like I said, nothing is off limits in the reforms. It may be a case where we amend the current peerage system. But there’s no immediate plans.” “A complete redesign of the website, for starters. More incentives for people to become citizens and potentially (although this isn’t for definite), selling titles akin to Sealand to spike up interest. Theres been some pushback, but I think it would help Austenasia in the long term. I’d want to donate some of the proceeds to domestic abuse charities.” “Honestly? Get the hell out of dodge. The further we can get away from the MicroWiki community, the better. This problem only occurs within that sector.” “Not in all regards. But I’d rather we focused our energy on actual, in person engagements; rather then Internet chatrooms. It’s infantile. We’d try to focus our energy on more local micronations. I think Austenasia also has a bit of an identity crisis, too.” “Austenasia is a Christian micronation. The Emperor must be Christian, and marriage equality isnt recognised. But I’m a gay atheist, and I’m the (Acting) Prime Minister. My opposition is a trans woman of an unknown religious identity. I think removing the requirement for the monarch to be Christian, which really limits the pool, would be good. And marriage equality recognition.” “Absolutely. It’s fantastic that people are enquiring about becoming citizens. I do intend to make it easier for those with an interest in Austenasia to become apart of our great nation. I also intend to provide citizens with unique citizen IDs and streamlining the voting process too, as that’s equally confusing.” That was the entire interview with Lord Andrew Musgrave, General Election Candidate. The Times will conduct more opinion polls on Saturday September 14 and 21. Stay tuned to the Times for the latest developments on the upcoming General Election.
GUM Delegate Appointed
Following last week’s GUM Delegate Dismissal by Lord Andrew Musgrave, he announced last evening the appointment of former Austenasian Prime Minister, Lord John Gordon, as Austenasian Delegate to the Grand Unified Micronational. Musgrave made the announcement with the following statement: “As the deadline is running out, I have decided to name a new GUM delegate to serve until after the election, if I win it, of course. Please welcome Lord John Gordon as Austenasia’s Official Delegate.” He continued, stating he agreed with criticisers on the route Austenasia should have been taking in regards to the situation. “Whilst it is my full intention to withdraw from the GUM once the election has been won by myself, I do agree with some of my criticisers that this should not be done without a democratic mandate, which I believe I will be given post-election. Whilst I had good talks with the Acting Chairman, we came to an impasse that I do not believe, under the GUM’s current model, will be resolved. That is no fault of the Acting Chair, but rather the fault of the organisation he represents.” Musgrave continued, criticizing the GUM as an organization. “Unless the GUM reforms, and reforms quickly, it’s my firm belief it will die. I believe the GUM should reform it’s expulsion practises, for numerous reasons. It was my intention to withdraw our GUM delegates until after the election, as I do not believe that during an election, a time of uncertainty, that our nation should have any delegates that could vote against the interests of the upcoming premiership, and this is something that I intend to implement into law eventually – whether we remain in the GUM or not. Additionally, there are several bad faith individuals who are apart of the GUM, and are responsible for numerous harrassment campaigns against both minors, and adults, and should have been expelled long ago, who are still active participants in the organisation. The Acting Chair has assured me that the current matter will be addressed, and I hope the decision will be a no-nonsense approach to harrassment of any kind.” Lord Musgrave’s allegations against the GUM has taken a very serious and dark tone. It would come as no surprise now why Lord Musgrave has been so adamant that Austenasia sever ties to the organization. But the allegations have been brought to the attention of the former Chairman and current acting Chairman, Anthony Burauskis. Hopefully now, in light of the recent events, things will change within the organization for the benefit of all member states. Austenasia Notes Michael Simpson, KtC Lord of the Manor of Nether, Alias Lower Hardres In the Parish of Lower Hardres In the County of Kent
GUM Dismissal Fallout
A lot has transpired in the last 24 hours since Acting Prime Minister, Lord Andrew Musgrave, dismissed all of Austenasia’s Delegates to the Grand Unified Micronational. As reported by the Quadrangle Gazette, Lord Musgrave has stood fast by his decision to not re-appoint any Delegates to the GUM, jeopardizing Austenasia’s position within the organization, as per the GUM’s 14 day expulsion rule regarding member state’s delegates. Link to the Quadrangle Gazette article: https://newsouthscotland.weebly.com/quadrangle-gazette/governing-commissioner-requests-legal-resolution-of-gum-dispute Lord Musgrave claimed he was not aware of this rule and had intended to simply pull all delegates until after the upcoming General Election, where it essentially would be decided by a vote wether or not Austenasia would remain a member of the GUM. With that being said, despite being made aware of the rule and it’s subsequent consequences, Lord Musgrave has insisted that he will not re-appoint any delegates until the GUM has taken his concerns on GUM-wide bullying and harassment seriously. GUM Chair, Newton von Uberquie, made it clear that he takes all cases of bullying and harassment seriously. The Wrythe Public House erupted this afternoon with arguments, rude comments, fights, and an overall lack of decorum. It started out with various people voicing their concerns with Lord Musgrave’s dismissal of delegates, most notably was Sir Hugh McFarlane, Governing Commissioner of New South Scotland. This eventually lead to an argument between Lord Musgrave and von Uberquie. The two later conducted a conversation in private which apparently has lead to a possible solution to Musgrave’s outstanding problems with the GUM. Lord Sander Koff was present and heavily sided with Lord Musgrave and his arguments. Former Austenasian Prime Minister, Vera Hewitt was also present at the time and weighed in on the subject. This eventually lead to a war of words between Koff and Hewitt, which was to say the least, distasteful on both parts. To prevent it from going any further, both were silenced in the Discord server. Through the madness and the chaos, it was suggested that the Prince Regent should intervene and get the situation back under control; to which Lord Musgrave responded with the following: “I have advised the Crown to not act in this matter, as doing so would undermine the people that I represent. Me and the Chair are in discussions, but no action should be taken until then. If the Crown is to act, and overrule my decision, I will resign as Prime Minister.” Sir Hugh McFarlane, who was adamant that the matter be settled democratically, provided the Times with the following statement regarding Lord Musgrave’s statement. “For the Acting Prime Minister to act in potential violation of the law and then threaten to collapse the government if that decision is reviewed by the Crown is the height of absurdity.” McFarlane suggested that the dismissal of all GUM delegates was in fact against the law. Lord Musgrave and Acting Deputy Prime Minister, Shiro Mephistopheles, both said that Musgrave was well within his right to dismiss the delegates. To the Times knowledge, this political disaster has so far already spanned three Discord servers and countless private conversations. Some folks have already attempted to give the event a name, such as “Black” or “Red” August. Former Austenasian Prime Minister, Lord John Gordon, eventually broke his silence after conversing with Lord Musgrave. He announced that he will be ceding Caldari back to Austenasia and return to front line Austenasian politics. With that, he will be standing with Lord Musgrave as his running mate. The Acting Deputy Prime Minister announced that potential election candidates have until September 1st to announce their intention to run. He also encouraged any eligible and willing Representatives to please do so. As it stands, there are still only two candidates for the election, Lord Andrew Musgrave, and Lady Addison O’Halloran. At the time of writing this article, Lord Andrew Musgrave made the following statement: “A new delegate to the GUM has been decided upon, and they will take their place amongst other GUM delegates to represent Austenasia’s interests once I have received that agreed upon written statement from the Chairman of the GUM, and am happy with the conclusion they have reached in said statement.” Lord Musgrave declined to comment any further on the subject as the situation has not yet been totally resolved.