The Empire' of Oceania' is comprised of seven semi-autonomous territories, which sometimes encourage the reference to Oceania as a "Commonwealth" or a federal state despite its constitutional monarchy. Oceania includes Malaya, New Guinea, West Australia, East Australia, Northern New Ireland, Southern New Ireland, Polynesia, and Macronesia. The island of Tasmania is currently a state of East Australia, although Tasmania has petitioned to become an independent territory due to its cultural and political differences with East Ausralia.