Patricia Rex Explained

Patricia Rex
Office1:Member of the Niue Assembly
Term1:1975–1993
Constituency1:Island-wide
Birth Place:Niue
Death Place:Niue
Children:4

Tuagatagaloa Patricia Rex, Lady Rex (née Vatolo; 1918 – 21 January 2004) was a Niuean politician. The wife of Niue's first Premier Robert Rex, she was jointly one of the first women elected to the Niue Assembly. She also designed the flag of Niue.

Biography

Born Patricia Tuagatagaloa Vatolo, Rex was from the village of Alofi. In 1941 she married Robert Rex and the couple had four children.[1] Her husband went on to become the Leader of Government Business, and in 1974 was appointed as the first Premier of Niue.

Rex contested the island-wide constituency in the April 1975 elections and was elected to the Niue Assembly, becoming one of the first women elected to the legislature alongside Lapati Paka.[2] She remained a member of the Assembly until losing her seat in the 1993 elections.[3] Rex also designed the flag of Niue,[4] which was adopted in 1975.

In the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours, Rex was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.

Rex died in Niue in January 2004.[5]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-sir-robert-rex-1563769.html Obituary: Sir Robert Rex
  2. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-334718588/view?partId=nla.obj-334744938#page/n10/mode/1up No Rex dynasty for Niue
  3. https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-341347971/view?sectionId=nla.obj-345433738&partId=nla.obj-341359423#page/n5/mode/1up Vivian returned
  4. https://readingwarrior.com/toa-niue-sir-robert-rex/ Toa Niue: Sir Robert Rex
  5. News: Wife of Niue's first premier dies . RNZ News . 22 January 2004 . 5 September 2020.