1965 Cook Islands general election explained

Country:Cook Islands
Previous Election:1961
Next Election:1968
Election Date:20 April 1965
Seats For Election:All 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly
Majority Seats:13
Party1:Cook Islands Party
Leader1:Albert Henry
Percentage1:52.25
Seats1:14
Last Election1:new
Party2:United Political Party
Colour2:
  1. 00247d
Leader2:Dick Charles Brown
Percentage2:19.72
Seats2:4
Last Election2:new
Premier

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly.[1] The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party and saw Albert Henry become the Cook Islands' first Premier.

Background

The holding of an election was necessary to elect members to approve the proposed constitution. If approved, the new constitution would institute self-government for the Cook Islands.

Because the election had the potential to result in removing the Cook Islands from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, the election was observed by representatives of the UN.

The Cook Islands Amendment Act contained a clause limiting candidacy for the elections to people who had lived in the Cook Islands for at least three years before the election. This barred Albert Henry from running, as he had only lived in the Cook Island for a year preceding the vote.[2]

Campaign

A total of 66 candidates contested the 22 seats, 19 from the Cook Islands Party, 16 from the United Political Party (led by Leader of Government business Dick Charles Brown), 12 from the Independent Group, 7 from the Labour Party, and 12 independents.[3] also fielding candidates. Two seats had only one candidate – Tangaroa Tangaroa in Penrhyn and Pupuke Robati in Rakahanga – both of whom were returned unopposed

Results

Leader of Government business Brown, Agriculture Minister Napa Tauei Napa and Speaker Teariki Tuavera were amongst the nine incumbents that lost their seats.[4]

By electorate

Constituency Candidate Party Votes
align=left rowspan=9William Estall 534
Matai Simiona 438
Geoffrey Henry 403
360
Ngaa Upu 352
Maria Henderson 325
Tukua Cameron 313
Tanga Mitiau Dick 69
Benioni Joseph 55
align=left rowspan=6Tangata Simiona 293
Mariri Paratainga 186
143
Michael Toki 127
Mataio Kea 88
Tutai Pakari Vaine 45
align=left rowspan=4Ngatupuna Matepi 558
Pokino Aberahama 554
Maarateina Atatoa 153
Edwin Gold 32
align=left rowspan=5Nato Temu 133
Glassie Strickland Jr. 46
Tuatai Tupou 26
Adamu Toka 17
Tihau Napara 9
align=left rowspan=2Julian Dashwood 198
Ngaoire Torea 47
align=left rowspan=2Raui Pokoati 75
Tiki Tetava 24
Tangaroa Tangaroa Unopposed
align=left rowspan=5Taru Moana 476
Pera Maurangi 459
Napa Tauei Napa 271
Rere Wichman 185
George Robati 56
align=left rowspan=3John Tariau 173
Mangere Maro 113
Arona Tariau 93
Pupuke Robati Unopposed
align=left rowspan=9Apenera Short 532
Tiakana Numanga 501
Samuela Samuela 487
Teariki Tuavera 251
Areora Ira 181
David Hosking 155
Tupai Ama 123
Manea Turepu 104
William Cowan 61
align=left rowspan=19Manea Tamarua 1,405
Mana Strickland 1,321
Marguerite Story 1,225
Teaukura Roi 1,152
535
R. W. Rapley 472
S. M. Sadaraka 456
Stuart Kingan 240
John Numa 230
Tetauru Jim Moerua 213
Jack Best 188
Mary Paitai 175
Koa Ioaba 159
Paiere Mokoroa 149
Anthony Utanga 132
Araiti Tupuariki 119
John Dugall Taripo 94
Tongia Unuia 82
Amana Upu Pere 33
align=left colspan=5Source: Cook Islands Gazette,[5] Stone, Pacific Islands Monthly[6]

Aftermath

The newly elected Assembly met for the first time on 10 May. With Henry still ineligible for election, Manea Tamarua was elected Leader of Government Business. He subsequently announced appointed Julian Dashwood, Tiakana Numanga, Apenera Short, Marguerite Story and Mana Strickland to the Executive Council.[2]

On 11 May Cook Islands Party MPs attempted to amend the Cook Islands Amendment Act to reduce the residency requirement and allow Henry to become an MP. The opposition independents walked out of the legislature, meaning it was not quorate due to the absence of two Cook Islands Party MPs. However, they returned the following day and an amendment to reduce the residency requirement to three months (providing the candidate had previously lived in the Cook Islands for at least a year) was passed.[2] Henry's sister Marguerite Story subsequently resigned from the Assembly to allow him to contest the by-election for Te-au-o-Tonga on 9 July. Henry was challenged by Dick Charles Brown, winning by 1,353 votes to 523.[7]

The Legislative Assembly later approved the constitution on 26 July by 20 votes to two. The two 'no' votes came from Pupuke Robati (who claimed that residents of Rakahanga did not wish for the Cook Islands to become self-governing) and Tangaroa Tangaroa (who claimed that Penrhyn wished to become part of New Zealand). The Cook Islands became self-governing on 4 August 1965 when Henry was sworn in as the first Premier.[8] Henry formed a cabinet with Dashwood, Numanga, Short, Strickland and Tamarua as ministers.[8] On the same day as Henry was sworn in, Marguerite Story was elected unopposed as the Assembly's first Speaker.[8]

Henry cabinet
PortfolioMember
PremierAlbert Henry
Aviation, Commerce, Economic Development,
Emigration, Employment, External Affairs, Finance,
Immigration, Justice, Labour, Tourism, Trade
Agriculture, HealthManea Tamarua
CooperativesApenera Short
EducationMana Strickland
Police, Social DevelopmentJulian Dashwood
Public Works, SurveyTiakana Numanga
Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

Although Henry held numerous portfolios, the other members of the cabinet were Associate Ministers for several of his areas of responsibility; Dashwood was Associate Minister for the Post Office, Hotel and Printing Office, Numanga was Associate Minister of Labour, Short was Associate Minister of Economic Development, Strickland was Associate Minister for Finance, Aviation, Shipping and Immigration, Tamarua was Associate Minister of Economic Development, Finance and Justice.[8]

In June 1966 Dashwood was convicted of attempting to obtain a bribe and was removed from the Assembly and cabinet. He was also struck off the voter roll and was unable to contest the subsequent by-election.[9] Albert Henry's nephew Tupui Henry was elected in the by-election, and was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Internal Affairs.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Voyage to Statehood . Cook Islands Government . 2009-03-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326003510/http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/history.php . 2009-03-26 .
  2. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-370528566/view?partId=nla.obj-370606315#page/n32/mode/1up Independents Walk Out Of Cook Islands Assembly
  3. David Stone . Self-Government in the Cook Islands 1965 . The Journal of the Pacific History . 1. 174 . 1966.
  4. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-325417248/view?partId=nla.obj-325513725#page/n8/mode/1up Albert Henry Sweeps To Victory In Cook Islands Poll
  5. Web site: 27 May 1965 . The Cook Islands Gazette No. 1/65 . Library of Congress.
  6. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-325417248/view?partId=nla.obj-325513989#page/n9/mode/1up Pacific Islands Monthly
  7. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-325848774/view?partId=nla.obj-325873829#page/n14/mode/1up Albert Henry Has Easy Win In Cook Is. By-Election
  8. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-325849146/view?partId=nla.obj-325897229#page/n28/mode/1up Era of Self-Government Begins In The Cook Islands
  9. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-331795230/view?partId=nla.obj-331939042#page/n76/mode/1up Ex-minister seeks seat he lost in bribe case
  10. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-326081157/view?partId=nla.obj-326125199#page/n137/mode/1up People