1.
Cook Islands
–
The Cook Islands is a self-governing island country in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand. It comprises 15 islands whose total area is 240 square kilometres. The Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone, however, covers 1,800,000 square kilometres of ocean, the Cook Islands defence and foreign affairs are the responsibility of New Zealand, but they are exercised in consultation with the Cook Islands. In recent times, the Cook Islands have adopted an independent foreign policy. Although Cook Islanders are citizens of New Zealand, they have the status of Cook Islands nationals, the Cook Islands main population centres are on the island of Rarotonga, where there is an international airport. There is a population of Cook Islanders in New Zealand. In the 2006 census,58,008 self-identified as being of ethnic Cook Islands Māori descent, the Cook Islands are in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand, between French Polynesia and American Samoa. There are 15 major islands spread over 2,200,000 km2 of ocean, the islands were formed by volcanic activity, the northern group is older and consists of six atolls, which are sunken volcanoes topped by coral growth. The climate is moderate to tropical, palmerston Island sometimes grouped with the Northern Group. Manuae Winslow Reef The Cook Islands were first settled in the 6th century by Polynesian people who migrated from Tahiti, in 1813 John Williams, a missionary on the Endeavour made the first recorded sighting of Rarotonga. The first recorded landing on Rarotonga by Europeans was in 1814 by the Cumberland, the islands saw no more Europeans until missionaries arrived from England in 1821. Christianity quickly took hold in the culture and many continue to be Christian believers today. The Cook Islands became a British protectorate in 1888, due largely to community fears that France might occupy the territory as it had Tahiti, on 6 September 1900, the leading islanders presented a petition asking that the islands should be annexed as British territory. These instruments did not include Aitutaki and it appears that, though the inhabitants regarded themselves as British subjects, the Crowns title was uncertain, and the island was formally annexed by Proclamation dated 9 October 1900. The islands were included within the boundaries of the Colony of New Zealand in 1901 by Order in Council under the Colonial Boundaries Act,1895 of the United Kingdom. The boundary change became effective on 11 June 1901 and the Cook Islands have had a relationship with New Zealand ever since. When the British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 came into effect on 1 January 1949, the country remained a New Zealand dependent territory until 1965, when the New Zealand Government decided to offer self-governing status to its colony. In that year, Albert Henry of the Cook Islands Party was elected as the first Premier, Henry led the country until he was accused of vote-rigging
2.
Politics of the Cook Islands
–
The politics of the Cook Islands, an associated state, takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Queen of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the Queens Representative, is the Head of State, the Islands are self-governing in free association with New Zealand and are fully responsible for internal affairs. New Zealand retains some responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with the Cook Islands, in recent years, the Cook Islands have taken on more of its own external affairs, as of 2005, it has diplomatic relations in its own name with eighteen other countries. Executive power is exercised by the government, while power is vested in both the government and the islands parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislatures, the Constitution of the Cook Islands took effect on August 4,1965, when the Cook Islands became a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The anniversary of these events in 1965 is commemorated annually on Constitution Day, the monarch is hereditary, her representative is appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Cook Islands Government. The cabinet is chosen by the minister and collectively responsible to Parliament. Ten years of rule by the Cook Islands Party came to an end 18 November 1999 with the resignation of Prime Minister Joe Williams, Williams had led a minority government since October 1999 when the New Alliance Party left the government coalition and joined the main opposition Democratic Party. On 18 November 1999, DAP leader Dr. Terepai Maoate was sworn in as prime minister and he was succeeded by his co-partisan Robert Woonton. When Dr Woonton lost his seat in the 2004 elections, Jim Marurai took over, in the 2010 elections, the CIP regained power and Henry Puna was sworn in as prime minister on 30 November 2010. Jim Marurais Democratic Party retained the Treasury benches with an increased majority, the New Zealand High Commissioner is appointed by the New Zealand Government. The Parliament of the Cook Islands has 24 members, elected for a term in single-seat constituencies. There is also a House of Ariki, composed of chiefs, the Koutu Nui is a similar organization consisting of sub-chiefs. It was established by an amendment in 1972 of the 1966 House of Ariki Act, the current President is Te Tika Mataiapo Dorice Reid. On June 13,2008, a majority of members of the House of Ariki attempted a coup, claiming to dissolve the elected government. Basically we are dissolving the leadership, the minister and the deputy prime minister. The Cook Islands Herald suggested that the ariki were attempting thereby to regain some of their traditional prestige or mana, Prime Minister Jim Marurai described the take-over move as ill-founded and nonsensical. By June 23, the situation appeared to have normalised, with members of the House of Ariki accepting to return to their regular duties, the 1999 election produced a hung Parliament
3.
Elizabeth II
–
Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. Elizabeth was born in London as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake duties during the Second World War. Elizabeths many historic visits and meetings include a visit to the Republic of Ireland. She has seen major changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation. She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms and she is the worlds oldest reigning monarch as well as Britains longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch, in 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the family, however, support for the monarchy remains high. Elizabeth was born at 02,40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and she was delivered by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfathers London house,17 Bruton Street, Mayfair. Elizabeths only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature and music, Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margarets childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeths love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, others echoed such observations, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant and her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved. During her grandfathers reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father, the Duke of York. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, many people believed that he would marry and have children of his own. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second-in-line to the throne, later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, Elizabeths father became king, and she became heir presumptive, if her parents had had a later son, she would have lost her position as first-in-line, as her brother would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession
4.
Henry Puna
–
Henry Tuakeu Puna is the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He is leader of the Cook Islands Party and has been Prime Minister since November 2010 and he was educated on Aitutaki and Rarotonga before studying law at the University of Auckland in New Zealand and the University of Tasmania in Australia. He worked as a lawyer before entering politics, Puna first stood for Parliament at the 2004 election, contesting Prime Minister Robert Woontons seat of Manihiki. He narrowly lost the seat on election night, but challenged the result in an election petition, the petition was upheld, with several voters being disqualified, the subsequent recount produced a tie, precipitating a by-election which Puna ultimately won. In September 2006, following the retirement of party leader Geoffrey Henry and he subsequently lost his seat in the Manihiki constituency to Apii Piho in the 2006 election, but continued to serve as leader outside Parliament. Because he was not a member of Parliament, Puna was not the leader of the opposition, Puna worked as a lawyer and pearl farmer during his time out of parliament. In September 2009, Puna was unanimously re-elected party leader, Puna was elected as MP for Manihiki during the 2010 election, in which his party won 16 of the 24 seats. On 30 November 2010 he was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Puna made his first official visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister in August 2011. List of foreign ministers in 2017 List of current foreign ministers
5.
Cabinet of the Cook Islands
–
The Cabinet of the Cook Islands is the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch of the Cook Islands Government. It consists of the Prime Minister and a number of other Ministers, unlike other Commonwealth Realms, the Cook Islands Cabinet has a formal legislative basis in the Cook Islands Constitution. Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and up to six other ministers, Members are appointed by the Queens Representative on advice of the Prime Minister, and must be Members of Parliament. All Cabinet ministers also serve as members of the Executive Council, Cabinet decisions take effect after four days, or when formally confirmed by the Executive Council. The Cook Islands Cabinet consists of, Cabinet ministers Cook Islands Government Cook Islands Constitution
6.
Parliament of the Cook Islands
–
The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the legislature on independence in 1965. The Parliament consists of 24 members directly elected by universal suffrage from single-seat constituencies, Members are elected for a limited term, and hold office until Parliament is dissolved. It meets in the capital of Rarotonga, the Cook Islands follows the Westminster system of government, and is governed by a cabinet and Prime Minister commanding a majority in Parliament. The Speaker of the House is currently Niki Rattle, the Deputy Speaker is Rose Toki-Brown. The Cook Islands Parliament is descended from the Cook Islands Legislative Council established in October 1946, established to provide for political representation and better local government in the islands, the Legislative Council was a subordinate legislature. Later regulations provided for the members to be split between the various islands,3 from Rarotonga,6 from the outer islands and 1 representing the islands European population. The island representatives were elected annually, while the European representative was elected to a three-year term, the Legislative Council was reorganised in 1957 as the Legislative Assembly with 22 elected members and 4 appointed officials. Fifteen of the members were elected directly by secret ballot, in 1962, the Assembly was given full control of its own budget. In that year it also debated the political future and chose self-government in free association with New Zealand. On independence in 1965 it gained full legislative power and it was renamed the Parliament of the Cook Islands in 1981. Both the size and term of Parliament have fluctuated since independence, in 1965, it consisted of 22 members elected for a period of 3 years. The size was increased to 24 members in 1981, and again to 25 in 1991 and it was reduced again to 24 members in 2003 when the overseas constituency created under the 1980–81 Constitution Amendment was abolished. The original three-year term was increased to four years in 1969, a referendum to reduce it to four years failed to gain the necessary two-thirds majority in 1999, but passed in 2004. See, Elections in the Cook Islands, the Cook Islands Parliament takes the British House of Commons as its model. It consists of 24 members, known as Members of Parliament, Members are elected by universal suffrage using the first-past-the-post system from single-seat constituencies. The executive branch of the Cook Islands government draws its membership exclusively from Parliament, the Prime Minister leads the government, the Queens Representative appoints the Prime Minister from the party or coalition which has or appears to have enough support to govern. The Prime Minister and Cabinet hold office until the next election, the Democratic Party is currently in government
7.
Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
–
The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament is the presiding officer of the Cook Islands Parliament. The manage the House in accordance with its Standing Orders and according to the traditions of the Westminster system, the current Speaker is Niki Rattle. The Speaker is elected by the House at the beginning of a parliamentary term according to the provisions of the Cook Islands Constitution, unlike other Westminster systems the Speaker does not have to be a Member of Parliament, though they must be qualified to be one. By law they may not be a Cabinet Minister, the Constitution requires that Parliament elect the person nominated by the Prime Minister, however the parliaments Standing Orders include a process for contested elections. Following their election the Speaker must present themselves to the Queens Representative to swear an oath of allegiance, the Speaker holds office until they cease to be an MP, become a Minister, are removed by a vote of the House, or Parliament is dissolved. The Speaker is assisted by a Deputy Speaker, elected by Parliament, the current Deputy Speaker is John Henry. Eight people have held the office of Speaker since the creation of Parliament, a full list of Speakers is below. Constitution of the Cook Islands Standing Orders of the Cook Islands Parliament Cook Islands Parliament
