The 18th Niue Assembly is the current term of the Niue Assembly. Its composition was determined by the general election on 29 April 2023. [1]
The 18th Niue Assembly is the current term of the Niue Assembly. Its composition was determined by the general election on 29 April 2023. [1]
The 20 members of the Assembly are elected by two methods; 14 are elected from single-member consistencies using first-past-the-post voting and six are elected from a single nationwide constituency by multiple non-transferable vote. [2] There are no political parties in Niue.
Historically, elections have occurred triennially in May or June; however, in late 2022, Premier of Niue Dalton Tagelagi indicated that he was considering holding elections early, in February or March 2023. The rationale for this shift would be to give the government more time to prepare and pass the budget before the end of the country's fiscal year in June. The election ultimately occurred in late April 2023. [3]
Eight of the twenty seats were won by first-time Assembly members. [4] Two long-time members of parliament were unseated in the election: Terry Coe, who was first elected to the Niue Assembly in a common roll seat in 1993, and Opili Talafasi, who held the Hikutavake seat for 33 years. [5]
Provisional results indicated that the sixth and final common roll seat was a tie between two candidates, Birtha Lisimoni-Togahai and Sonya Talagi, which required a draw from a hat to break the tie. This would have been the first time in Niue's history that this tiebreaking protocol had been required. [6] However, upon recount, Sonya Talagi won the seat by two votes. Lisimoni-Togahai filed a petition for a recount in Hikutavake, Mutalau, and Tuapa, where vote tallies changed in the recount. [7]
The Premier of Niue is elected by the members of the Niue Assembly at the first meeting after a general election and must win an absolute majority of votes to be elected. Incumbent Dalton Tagelagi was re-elected as the premier of Niue after defeating opposition leader O'Love Jacobsen 16 votes to 4. [8] [9]
The Cabinet is made up of four members: The Premier as chair, along with three members of the Niue Assembly. Cabinet members are assigned portfolios of ministries that they oversee. [9] Tagelagi appointed two incumbent members of the Assembly, Crossley Tatui and Esa Mona Sharon Ainuu to the Cabinet, along with Sonya Talagi, a newly elected common roll assembly member. This marked the first time in the history of Niue that the Cabinet was gender-balanced, with two men and two women. [10] [9]
The members of the 18th Legislative Assembly are: [6]
| Name | Electorate |
|---|---|
| Esa Mona Ainu'u | Tuapa |
| Tutuli Heka | Alofi North |
| Sinahemana Hekau | Common Roll |
| Ian Hipa | Hikutavake |
| O'Love Jacobsen | Common Roll |
| Emani Fakaotimanava-Lui | Common Roll |
| Riki Makani | Tamakautoga |
| Richie Mautama | Hakupu |
| Maureen Melekitama | Mutalau |
| Tofua Puletama | Makefu |
| Logopati Seumanu | Liku |
| Sione Silapea Sionetuato | Namukulu |
| Dalton Tagelagi | Alofi South |
| Billy Talagi | Common Roll |
| Sonya Talagi | Common Roll |
| Talaititama Talaiti | Vaiea |
| Crossley Tatui | Common Roll |
| Dion Paki Taufitu | Toi |
| Rhonda Tiakia Tomailuga | Lakepa |
| Poimamao Vakanofiti | Avatele |
Tagelagi delivered the State Opening on 15 May 2023 alongside maiden speeches given by new members of the Assembly. [11] In the State Opening, Tagelagi addressed several focus areas for the 18th Niue Assembly. These included constitutional reform, saying “We can start with the constitution reforms, something that wasn’t achieved by the 17th Assembly. We continued to say that "We [Niue] all know that the constitution needs amendment to meet the demanding work of modern day life and align ourselves to international standards, UN international conventions, institutional membership ... that we have established to drive our humble island forward". [12] Other acts and bills discussed by Tagelagi included suggesting a review of the Immigration Act, passing of the Niue Public Service Act, which had been in draft form for two decades, and progressing an Electoral Bill and Land Bill. He also noted that public–private partnerships would be a focus of the 18th Niue Assembly, as well as reviewing the current tax structure for potential tax breaks and implementing environmental taxation. [12]
On 15 May 2023, Tagelagi left Niue for three weeks to attend the inaugural Korea–Pacific Islands Summit, at which Tagelagi formalised diplomatic relations between Niue and South Korea. [13] During his absence, Crossley Tatui served as Acting Premier, and Tofua Puletama as Acting Minister in Tagelagi's ministerial positions. [12]
General elections were held in Niue on 7 June, 2008. They were initially expected to be held in April, but were delayed until June 2008. Niue has a 20-member legislative assembly, called the Niue Assembly, whose members are elected by approximately 600 registered voters. The assembly consists of 20 total members, 6 elected on a common roll and 14 representatives of the villages
The Cabinet of Niue is the chief executive body of Niue.
Tauveve O’Love Jacobsen is a Niuean politician and diplomat. She served as Niue's High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2011 to 2017. Her predecessor was Sisilia Talagi, Niue's first female diplomat and High Commissioner. She had previously served as a member of the Niue Assembly and a minister in Toke Talagi's government. She was previously a long-standing leading figure in the informal parliamentary Opposition to Young Vivian's government. She was, from 2008 to 2011, Minister of Health, Minister of Public Works, Minister of Women's Affairs, and Minister in charge of the Niue Power Corporation. She had previously been Minister of Education, Health, Environment, Training and Development. Additionally, Jacobsen is a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Patroness of the Niuean Volleyball Association.
Sir Toke Tufukia Talagi was a Niuean politician, diplomat, and statesman. He served as Premier of Niue from 2008 to 2020.
Pokotoa Ikiua Lalotoa Sipeli is a former Niuean politician and Cabinet Minister who served in the cabinet of Toke Talagi from 2008 to 2020.
Joan Sisiati Tahafa Viliamu was a Niuean politician and Cabinet minister.
Dalton Emani Makamau Tagelagi is a Niuean politician and Premier of Niue since June 2020. He was elected premier by the Niue Legislative Assembly on 11 June 2020, defeating O'Love Jacobsen by 13 votes to 7.
Mona Ainuu is a Niuean politician and Cabinet Minister.
General elections were held in Niue on 30 May 2020 for the 20 members of the Niue Assembly. The election resulted in the defeat of Premier Toke Talagi, who lost his seat. Fifteen incumbents were re-elected, including three who were unopposed. In Mutalu, a tie between two candidates resulted in one being elected by a coin toss.
Crossley Tatui is a Niuean politician and member of the Niue Assembly.
Talaititama Talaiti is a Niuean politician and member of the Niue Assembly.
Sauni Tongatule is a former Niuean politician and Cabinet Minister.
General elections were held in Niue on 29 April 2023. The elections were originally planned to be held early, in late February or early March. Eight new MPs and six women were elected.
Sonya Talagi is a Niuean politician and Cabinet Minister. She is the daughter of former Premier of Niue Toke Talagi.
Sinahemana Hekau is a Niuean lawyer and politician. In 2004 she was the winner of Miss South Pacific. She is the daughter of former MP Makamau Hekau.
Ian Hipa is a Niuean businessman, politician and Member of the Niue Assembly. He is the brother of former MP Richard Hipa.
Florence Maureen Melekitama is a Niuean civil servant and politician.
Ricky Muiaki Makani is a Niuean politician and Member of the Niue Assembly.
Richie Mautama is a Niuean politician and Member of the Niue Assembly.
Dion Paki Taufitu is a Niuean politician and Cabinet Minister.
