Cairns Courts: Yidindji Sovereign Nation citizen Wayne Matthew Starr says Qld police have no power

Self-proclaimed citizens of the Yidindji Sovereign Nation insist they are outside Queensland law although their argument the state has no power over the Yidindji Tribe has been thrown out of court multiple times.

Murrumu Walubara Yidindji, left, formerly known as Jeremy Geia, renounced his Australian citizenship in 2014, declared himself a citizen of the Yidindji nation, founding the Sovereign Yidindji Government. He is pictured with Bumi Gimbaia and Gingira Warrnggay at Mareeba Magistrates Court.

Self-proclaimed citizens of the Yidindji Sovereign Nation insist they are outside Queensland law although their argument the state has no power over the Yidindji Tribe has been thrown out of court multiple times.

Jeremy Geia is known as Murrumu Walubara and was the founder of the Sovereign Yidindji Nation – a vast chunk of land stretching from Port Douglas to the Atherton Tablelands and all of Cairns – claiming in 2014 to renounce his legal ties with Australia.

Wayne Matthew Starr, 53, contested seven traffic charges in Mareeba Magistrates Court, saying that as he was a citizen of the Sovereign Yidindji Nation, Queensland had no jurisdiction over him. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

The latest case to take an entire day in Mareeba Magistrates Court was that of Wayne Matthew Starr – who told the court he wanted to be known as Wayne Matthew Balbara, the self-described detective chief superintendent of Yidindji police.

Representing himself, Starr said he was a member of the Yidindji Sovereign Nation and he cross-examined arresting officers on whether they were aware there was “a coexisting authority”.

The Sovereign Yidindji Nation has its own police force, Mareeba Magistrates Court heard on March 14.

He contested charges that he altered or defaced an identification plate, drove an uninsured vehicle, drove without a licence, had things that purport to be, but were not, registration certificates, number plates or permits, unregistered vehicle, impersonating a police officer, and unlawful possession of an article resembling a licence.

Starr – who denied to police that was his name – said he was a citizen of the Yidindji Sovereign Nation so Queensland law didn’t apply to him.

Magistrate Thomas Braes said evidence showed no valid drivers’ licence issued to Wayne Starr, the Nissan Patrol he was driving was not registered in Queensland and no vehicle with the number plate YID-800 had ever been registered.

The Sovereign Yidindji Nation flag. It was formed in 2014 when founder Jeremy Geia, now known as Murrumu Walubara, renounced his Australian citizenship. Picture: Supplied

Mr Braes said the transcript of the police interview with Starr corroborated their evidence given in court.

The court heard Starr told police he was the chief superintendent, they had no authority and they should contact the Queensland Police Commissioner.

Mr Braes found Starr guilty on all charges except altering or defacing a number plate because there was no evidence he did it; Starr had told the court it was issued by the Yidindji Department of Transport.

The Sovereign Yidindji Nation coat of arms. Members have argued that the state of Queensland does not have the power to legislate over the Yidindji Tribe but courts have ruled otherwise. Picture: Supplied

Mr Braes did not record convictions, fined Starr $2000 for driving uninsured and made a suspended operational order of 100 hours community service.

He cited a Supreme Court appeal against a conviction of Daniel Jordan Anning, charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle – the hospital doctor’s work transport – in Normanton.

Anning, who told police his name was Derek Jordan Bong, argued the Yidindji Tribe was not subject to Queensland Law.

A map of the self-proclaimed Yidindji Sovereign Nation, whose members have argued unsuccessfully in Queensland courts that state laws do not apply to them. Picture: Supplied

“No legal jurisdiction other than Yidindji Tribal Council of Elders Court will be recognised or understood,” Anning stated in a 20-page document that judges noted appeared to be a “random cutting and pasting from other documents that have nothing to do with this appeal”.

The appeal was tossed out and Anning’s conviction was upheld.

Yidindji Sovereign Nation founder Murrumu Walubara. Picture: Supplied

A few years ago, Malanda woman Nerissa Margarete Anderson, who was fined $100 for failure to vote, called herself Nerissa of the Ngadjob Tribe and appealed on the basis she was not an Australian citizen, the court had no jurisdiction, and it was ethnic cleansing.

The court heard she had enrolled herself as an elector and ticked yes to the question ‘are you an Australian citizen’.

Her appeal was dismissed.

Originally published as Cairns Courts: Yidindji Sovereign Nation citizen Wayne Matthew Starr says Qld police have no power