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Elections for a Legislative Assembly were held in Nauru on 26 January 1968, following passage of the Nauru Independence Act 1967 which granted Nauru independence from Australia with effect from 31 January 1968. [1]
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Elections for a Legislative Assembly were held in Nauru on 26 January 1968, following passage of the Nauru Independence Act 1967 which granted Nauru independence from Australia with effect from 31 January 1968. [1]
A Constitutional Convention was elected in 1967 and produced a new constitution in preparation for independence, which provided for an 18-member Legislative Assembly with a three-year term. The Assembly would then appoint a five-member Council of State to exercise executive power. [1]
Of the 18 elected members, half consisted of the nine members of the Legislative Council elected in 1966. [1]
The Assembly met for the first time on 31 January and elected the new five-member Council of State. Seven candidates were nominated for the contest, although Victor Eoaeo pulled out as he continued to oppose Nauruan independence. [2] The Council subsequently elected Hammer DeRoburt as its chairman. [1]
| Election for the Council of State | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Votes | Notes |
| Austin Bernicke | 17 | Elected |
| Hammer DeRoburt | 17 | Elected |
| Buraro Detudamo | 16 | Elected |
| Joseph Detsimea Audoa | 13 | Elected |
| James Ategan Bop | 12 | Elected |
| Samuel Tsitsi | 10 | |
On 17 May the Assembly elected the first President. Bernicke, DeRoburt and Detudamo were all nominated. However, Bernicke and Detudamo both declined their nominations, resulting in DeRoburt being elected unopposed. He then formed a new cabinet, with Bernicke as Minister for Health and Education, Bop as Minister for Finance, Detsimea as Minister for Justice and Detudamo as Minister for Works. [3]
History of Nauru, is about Nauru, an island country in the Pacific Ocean. Human activity is thought to have begun roughly 3,000 years ago when clans settled the island. A people and culture developed on the island, the Nauru which had 12 tribes. At the end of the 1700s, a British ship came, and this was the first known contact with the outside world. The British ship called it "pleasant island" and it was a friendly greeting; the British sailed on. Thirty years later, in 1830, an escaped Irish convict took over the island and was finally evicted in 1841. There were scattered interactions with passing vessels and trade. In the mid-to-late 19th century, a devastating civil war started, which took the lives of many Nauru. This war was ended when Germany annexed the island in 1888, and negotiations ended the fighting. In the 1900s, phosphate mining started, and the Germans built some modern facilities on the island. German control ended at the end of World War I, and it was passed to Australia as protectorate. This continued until WW2, when the Empire of Japan invaded the island. Although it was occupied for a few years, many Nauru died at this time, and much of the population was deported from the island and/or used for slave labor. With the surrender of Japan, the Nauru were returned to the island, and it was put under Australian administration again, under the condition it would become independent. This happened in 1968, and Nauru has been a stable democracy since that time. In the last three decades of the 20th century, Nauru had enormous per capita wealth from the phosphate mining, to the point they were some of the richest people on the planet. However, when this ended and the investments were depleted, it has had a harder time, and international aid is important in the 21st century.
Hammer DeRoburt was a Nauruan politician and independence leader. He led negotiations for independence from Australia and the end of the country's status as a United Nations trust territory. He was subsequently elected as the inaugural president of Nauru, serving four terms in office. Prior to independence he was head chief of Nauru and chair of the Nauru Local Government Council.
Raymond Gadabu was a Nauruan politician who served as Head Chief between 1953 and 1955.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 23 January 1971. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. Following the election, Hammer DeRoburt was re-elected president by members of the Parliament.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 18 December 1976. Following the election, Bernard Dowiyogo was elected President by Members of the Parliament.
Early parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 12 November 1977, after Parliament had been dissolved by President Bernard Dowiyogo due to a sustained campaign against the government led by former President Hammer DeRoburt, who had been voted out of office the previous year. Particular controversy had been caused by the Supply Act passed in June, and Dowiyogo stated that elections would be held to give him a mandate. After Parliament failed to approve the budget, Dowiyogo asked Speaker David Gadaraoa to dissolve the legislature.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 6 December 1980. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. The election was won by supporters of President Hammer DeRoburt, who re-elected him President on 9 December.
Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 3 December 1983. As there were no political parties, all candidates ran as independents. Following the election, President Hammer DeRoburt was re-elected by ten votes to six.
Elections for the Legislative Council for the Territory of Nauru were held for the first and only time on 22 January 1966.
Constitutional Convention elections were held in Nauru on 16 December 1967. The convention was established by the Nauru Legislative Council as a result of the Australian government passing the Nauru Independence Act 1967, which allowed for Nauru's independence and the end of its status as a United Nations trust territory administered by Australia.
Buraro Robidok Bagewa Detudamo was a Nauruan politician. He was the only son of Timothy Detudamo and brother-in-law to Kennan Adeang. When Buraro was a boy, his family went to Chuuk Islands.
Daimon was Head Chief of Nauru from 1920 until 1930. His 42 years as a chief was a record length of service.
Austin Bernicke was a Nauruan politician. He was a member of the first Local Government Council in 1951, then a member of Parliament after it was established in 1966, serving until his death in 1977. He also served as a cabinet minister from 1968 until 1976.
Joseph Detsimea Audoa was a Nauruan politician. He served as a member of the Parliament of Nauru and its predecessors from 1955 until his death and was a cabinet minister for much of the period 1968 to 1983.
James Ategan Bop was a Nauruan politician. He served as a member of Parliament and its predecessors from 1951 to 1955 and then from 1959 until his death, and was Minister of Finance for most of the period between 1968 and 1978.
Samuel Edwin Tsitsi was a Nauruan politician.
The Nauru Local Government Council was a legislative body in Nauru. It was first established in 1951, when Nauru was a United Nations trust territory, as a successor to the Council of Chiefs. It continued to exist until 1992, when it was dissolved in favor of the Nauru Island Council.
Leo Depagadogi Keke was a Nauruan lawyer and politician. Keke was the first Nauruan lawyer. He served as an MP from 1976 to 1980. He was minister of justice from 1979 to 1980.
Totouwa Depaune was a Nauruan politician. He served as minister of public works and community services in 1978.
The Nauru Independence Act 1967 is an act of the Parliament of Australia which resulted in the independence of Nauru and the end of its status as a UN trust territory administered by Australia.
