1965 Cook Islands general election

none Cook Islands 1961 1968 20 April 1965 All 22 seats in the Legislative Assembly 13 yes Cook Islands Party Albert Henry 52.25 14 United Political Party #00247d Dick Charles Brown 19.72 4 Independent Group 16.71 4 Leader of Government Business Dick Charles Brown United Political Party Manea Tamarua Cook Islands Party General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly.http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/history.php 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 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.Independents Walk Out Of Cook Islands Assembly Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1965, p31 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.David Stone Self-Government in the Cook Islands 1965 The Journal of the Pacific History 1 174 1966 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.Albert Henry Sweeps To Victory In Cook Islands Poll Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1965, p7 File:Cook island Parliament 1965.svg Cook Islands Party 9511 14 United Political Party 3590 4 Independent Group 3042 4 Labour Party 963 0 Independents 1098 0 6839 67 7353 StoneStone David Joseph https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/113873/4/b12930957_Stone_David_Joseph.pdf Self Rule in the Cook Islands: The Government and Politics of a New Micro-State January 1971 Canberra https://web.archive.org/web/20190927055935/https://openresearch-repository.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/113873/4/b12930957_Stone_David_Joseph.pdf 27 September 2019 By electorate Constituency Candidate Party VotesAitutaki–Manuae William Estall Independent Group 534Matai Simiona Independent Group 438Geoffrey Henry Independent Group 403Joseph Williams Independent 360Ngaa Upu Cook Islands Party 352Maria Henderson Cook Islands Party 325Tukua Cameron Cook Islands Party 313Tanga Mitiau Dick Independent 69Benioni Joseph Independent 55Atiu Tangata Simiona United Political Party 293Mariri Paratainga Cook Islands Party 186Vainerere Tangatapoto United Political Party 143Michael Toki Independent Group 127Mataio Kea Independent 88Tutai Pakari Vaine Cook Islands Party 45Mangaia Ngatupuna Matepi United Political Party 558Pokino Aberahama United Political Party 554Maarateina Atatoa Cook Islands Party 153Edwin Gold Independent 32Manihiki Nato Temu Cook Islands Party 133Glassie Strickland Jr. Independent Group 46Tuatai Tupou Independent 26Adamu Toka Independent 17Tihau Napara Independent 9Mauke Julian Dashwood Cook Islands Party 198Ngaoire Torea United Political Party 47Mitiaro Raui Pokoati Cook Islands Party 75Tiki Tetava United Political Party 24Penrhyn Tangaroa Tangaroa United Political Party UnopposedPuaikura Taru Moana Cook Islands Party 476Pera Maurangi Cook Islands Party 459Napa Tauei Napa United Political Party 271Rere Wichman Labour Party 185George Robati Independent 56Pukapuka–Nassau John Tariau Cook Islands Party 173Mangere Maro Independent 113Arona Tariau United Political Party 93Rakahanga Pupuke Robati Independent Group UnopposedTakitumu Apenera Short Cook Islands Party 532Tiakana Numanga Cook Islands Party 501Samuela Samuela Cook Islands Party 487Teariki Tuavera United Political Party 251Areora Ira United Political Party 181David Hosking Independent Group 155Tupai Ama Labour Party 123Manea Turepu Independent Group 104William Cowan Labour Party 61Te-au-o-Tonga Manea Tamarua Cook Islands Party 1,405Mana Strickland Cook Islands Party 1,321Marguerite Story Cook Islands Party 1,225Teaukura Roi Cook Islands Party 1,152Dick Charles Brown United Political Party 535R. W. Rapley Independent Group 472S. M. Sadaraka Independent Group 456Stuart Kingan Independent 240John Numa Labour Party 230Tetauru Jim Moerua United Political Party 213Jack Best Labour Party 188Mary Paitai Independent Group 175Koa Ioaba United Political Party 159Paiere Mokoroa United Political Party 149Anthony Utanga Independent Group 132Araiti Tupuariki United Political Party 119John Dugall Taripo Labour Party 94Tongia Unuia Labour Party 82Amana Upu Pere Independent 33Source: Cook Islands Gazette,27 May 1965 The Cook Islands Gazette No. 1/65 https://www.loc.gov/resource/llflg.2004217240_19650527_01/?sp=39&st=image Library of Congress Stone, Pacific Islands MonthlyPacific Islands Monthly 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. 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. 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.Albert Henry Has Easy Win In Cook Is. By-Election Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1965, p13 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.Era of Self-Government Begins In The Cook Islands Pacific Islands Monthly, September 1965, pp27–29 Henry formed a cabinet with Dashwood, Numanga, Short, Strickland and Tamarua as ministers. On the same day as Henry was sworn in, Marguerite Story was elected unopposed as the Assembly's first Speaker. Henry cabinetPortfolioMemberPremierAlbert HenryAviation, Commerce, Economic Development,Emigration, Employment, External Affairs, Finance,Immigration, Justice, Labour, Tourism, TradeAgriculture, HealthManea TamaruaCooperativesApenera ShortEducationMana StricklandPolice, Social DevelopmentJulian DashwoodPublic Works, SurveyTiakana NumangaSource: 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. 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.Ex-minister seeks seat he lost in bribe case Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1966, p75 Albert Henry's nephew Tupui Henry was elected in the by-election, and was appointed to the cabinet as Minister of Internal Affairs.People Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1967, p136 References Category:Elections in the Cook Islands Cook General Category:Self-governance Cooks