I didn't know anything about the history of the Cocos Islands:

The archipelago was discovered in 1609 by Captain William Keeling of the East India Company, on a return voyage from the East Indies. North Keeling was sketched by Ekeberg, a Swedish captain, in 1749, showing the presence of coconut palms. It also appears on a 1789 chart produced by British hydrographer Alexander Dalrymple.[20]

In 1825, Scottish merchant seaman Captain John Clunies-Ross stopped briefly at the islands on a trip to India, nailing up a Union Jack and planning to return and settle on the islands with his family in the future.[21] Wealthy Englishman Alexander Hare had similar plans, and hired a captain – coincidentally, Clunies-Ross's brother – to bring him and a volunteer harem of 40 Malay women to the islands, where he hoped to establish his private residence.[22] Hare had previously served as resident of Banjarmasin, a town in Borneo, and found that "he could not confine himself to the tame life that civilisation affords".[22]

Clunies-Ross returned two years later with his wife, children and mother-in-law, and found Hare already established on the island and living with the private harem. A feud grew between the two.[22] Clunies-Ross's eight sailors "began at once the invasion of the new kingdom to take possession of it, women and all".[22]

After some time, Hare's women began deserting him, and instead finding themselves partners amongst Clunies-Ross's sailors.[23] Disheartened, Hare left the island. He died in Bencoolen in 1834.[24] Encouraged by members of the former harem, Clunies-Ross then recruited Malays to come to the island for work and wives.

Clunies-Ross's workers were paid in a currency called the Cocos rupee, a currency John Clunies-Ross minted himself that could only be redeemed at the company store.[25]

Well, i'm surprised i thought being Western Australian administered, the WA Government held most of the sway over decisions on/about cocos/keeling.

I understand but am also interested that they vote with NT. Thats an interesting and understandable decision the AEC (probably) have made.

But this is the issue, that now spreads these people over a State, a Territory, and Federal. The people there have every right to be angry about this situation. No matter what happens to their islands, we need to incorporate this place into a single State or Territory and have them acting a proper Shire.