▁courts ▁have ▁now ▁become ▁the ▁only ▁ven ue ▁in ▁which ▁lit ig ation ▁is ▁conducted . ▁The ▁court ▁does ▁not ▁now ▁actually ▁decide ▁cases ▁and ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁has ▁had ▁no ▁members ; ▁the ▁Governor - General ▁has ▁the ▁authority ▁to ▁abol ish ▁the ▁court , ▁but ▁this ▁is ▁yet ▁to ▁occur . ▁ ▁Background ▁to ▁establishment ▁of ▁court ▁The ▁Territ ory ▁of ▁the ▁C oc os ▁( Ke eling ) ▁Islands ▁consists ▁of ▁ ▁approximately ▁ 2 7 ▁cor al ▁islands ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁Indian ▁Ocean ▁about ▁ 2 7 0 0 ▁kilometres ▁north - west ▁of ▁Per th , ▁Western ▁Australia . ▁William ▁Ke eling ▁discovered ▁the ▁un in hab ited ▁Islands ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 9 . ▁ ▁Alexander ▁H are ▁first ▁settled ▁them ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁with ▁people ▁of ▁Mal ay ▁origin . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁John ▁Cl un ies - R oss ▁settled ▁on ▁the ▁Island ▁to ▁har vest ▁co con uts . ▁ ▁The ▁Islands ▁are ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁co con ut , ▁c oc os ▁nuc if era . ▁ ▁The ▁British ▁Government ▁an nex ed ▁the ▁Islands ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 7 . ▁The ▁Islands ▁became ▁a ▁territory ▁of ▁Australia ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁November ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁after ▁having ▁been ▁admin ister ed ▁as ▁a ▁dependency ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Crown ▁Col ony ▁of ▁Singapore . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁transfer ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁all