| Attorney General of Tonga | |
|---|---|
since 2019 |
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| Constitution |
| Administrative divisions |
The Attorney General of Tonga is Tonga's chief law officer, responsible for supervising Tongan law and advising the government on legal matters. Originally a Cabinet position held jointly with the portfolio of Minister of Justice, the office was made independent in 2009. The current Attorney General is Linda Folaumoetu'i.
The position of attorney general was established in the Kingdom of Tonga in 1988. From 1988 to 2009, the Attorney General jointly held the office of Minister of Justice. [1]
The Attorney-General is "First Law Officer for the Government of the Kingdom of Tonga". [2] its responsibilities include providing legal advice, drafting legislation, and conducting prosecutions and representing the crown in civil matters, as well as "supporting constitutional integrity and governance" and "facilitating [the] Government’s lawful and responsible legal dealings" [2]
Following constitutional reforms in January 2012, the Attorney General is reportedly
John Cauchi, appointed in May 2009, was the first Attorney General not to hold the portfolio of Justice Minister. He was also the first non-Tongan to hold the office, being an Australian citizen. [18] He resigned the position on 30 April 2010. [19] It is not currently clear how many people held the position between Cauchi's resignation and Sweetman's appointment. In early 2011, the CIA Factbook stated the Attorney General was ʻAsipeli ʻAminiasi Kefu. [20] However this may have been an error, as other sources described Kefu as the Solicitor General. Minister for Justice Samiu Vaipulu was the Attorney General just prior to Sweetman's appointment; the latter thus disassociated the two positions, which had once again been combined in a single person. [21]
As of August 2011, the Kingdom has had at least seven Attorneys General. [1] Matangi Tonga has noted that three of the country's Attorneys General (namely Tupou and both Taumoepeaus) "have been told to resign". [1]
Tupou VI is King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V.
Sonatane Tu'akinamolahi Taumopeau Tupou, Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou of Toula and Kotu was a diplomat from the Kingdom of Tonga. Lord Taumoepeau-Tupou had been the foreign minister of Tonga since 24 August 2004, though his appointment was not announced until 2 September 2004. He had also been Minister of Defense since April 2005 till his death.
Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu is a Tongan civil servant, diplomat and former Cabinet Minister. From 2005 to 2009 she was Tonga's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, and from 2017 to 2021 she was United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States. From 2021 to 2024 she was minister of foreign affairs.
Samiuela ʻAkilisi Pōhiva was a Tongan pro-democracy activist and politician. A key leader of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands (DPFI), he served as the Prime Minister of Tonga from 2014 to his death in 2019. He was only the fourth commoner to serve as Prime Minister, and the first commoner to be elected to that position by Parliament rather than appointed by the King.
The Cabinet of Tonga is the cabinet of the government of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is composed primarily of the ministers of government. The latter, including the Prime Minister, are appointed by the monarch. The Governor of Ha'apai and the Governor of Vava'u also serve on the Cabinet ex officio. When in session and presided over by the monarch, the Cabinet is known as the Privy Council.
John Cauchi is an Australian lawyer who served as the Attorney General of Tonga from 2009 to 2010.
Sunia Manu Fili is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a former member of the Human Rights and Democracy Movement and the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands.
Samiu Kuita Vaipulu is a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister. He was the Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2014 and is currently Minister for Trade and Economic Development.
ʻAisake Valu Eke is a Tongan politician and former Cabinet Minister.
ʻAlisi Afeaki Taumoepeau is a Tongan politician. She became the first woman to hold a Cabinet post in Tonga when she was named Attorney general and Minister of Justice in 2006.
General elections were held in Tonga on 18 November 2021 to elect 17 of the 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The Tonga Leitis' Association (TLA) is an advocacy and education organisation in Tonga, and is the only organisation in the country dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues.
Sitenimoa Valevale, styled Lord Nuku, is a Tongan noble, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He represents the ʻEua noble constituency in the Legislative Assembly.
Sevenitini Toumoʻua is a Tongan politician and Cabinet Minister.
Siaosi Taimani ʻAho was a Tongan diplomat, civil servant, politician, and Cabinet minister. He was Tonga's first Commissioner for Public Relations.
Linda Simiki Folaumoetu’i is a Tongan lawyer and civil servant. Since 2019 she has served as Attorney General of Tonga, and is the first woman to ever serve in that role.
ʻAsipeli ʻAminiasi Kefu is a Tongan lawyer and civil servant who has served as Solicitor General of Tonga. From 2014 to 2019 he was acting Attorney General of Tonga.
Neil Adsett SC is an Australian lawyer. He served as Attorney General of Tonga from 2012 to 2014.
The Tongan Ombudsman is a constitutional officer in Tonga tasked with investigating maladministration. Established as the Commissioner for Public Relations Act in 2001, the office was renamed to Ombudsman in 2016, and given constitutional status in 2021.