Nauruan parliamentary election, April 2010

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Nauruan parliamentary election, April 2010
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All 18 seats of the Parliament of Nauru

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  President Marcus Stephen of Nauru.jpg
Leader Marcus Stephen David Adeang
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Leader's seat Anetan Constituency Ubenide Constituency
Last election 12 seats 6 seats
Seats won 9 9
President before election

Marcus Stephen
Nonpartisan

President-designate

Marcus Stephen
Nonpartisan

Nauru
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This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Nauru

Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 24 April 2010, [1] following the dissolution of parliament by President Marcus Stephen on 16 March 2010. [2] The election was called due to repeated attempts to oust the government of Marcus Stephen in votes of no-confidence. There were 86 candidates, eight of them women. [3] Nauru uses a modified Borda count electoral system in eight multi-member districts. [4]

Nauru Republic in Oceania

Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia, a subregion of Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, 300 kilometres (190 mi) to the east. It further lies northwest of Tuvalu, north of the Solomon Islands, east-northeast of Papua New Guinea, southeast of the Federated States of Micronesia and south of the Marshall Islands. With only a 21-square-kilometre (8.1 sq mi) area, Nauru is the third-smallest state on the list of countries and dependencies by area behind Vatican City and Monaco, making it the smallest state in the South Pacific Ocean, the smallest island state, and the smallest republic. Its population is 11,347, making it the third smallest on the list of countries and dependencies by population, after the Vatican and Tuvalu.

Marcus Stephen Nauruan sportperson and politician

Marcus Stephen is a Nauruan politician and former sportsperson who previously was a member of the Cabinet of Nauru, and who served as President of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. The son of Nauruan parliamentarian Lawrence Stephen, Stephen was educated at St Bedes College and RMIT University in Victoria, Australia. Initially playing Australian rules football, he opted to pursue the sport of weightlifting, in which he represented Nauru at the Summer Olympics and Commonwealth Games between 1990 and 2002, winning seven Commonwealth gold medals.

The Borda count is a family of single-winner election methods in which voters rank options or candidates in order of preference. The Borda count determines the outcome of a debate or the winner of an election by giving each candidate, for each ballot, a number of points corresponding to the number of candidates ranked lower. Once all votes have been counted the option or candidate with the most points is the winner. The Borda count is intended to elect broadly-acceptable options or candidates, rather than those preferred by a majority, and so is often described as a consensus-based voting system rather than a majoritarian one.

Contents

Background: the 'Getax affair'

Australian officials have accused the Australian company Getax, which is an important buyer of Nauruan phosphate, of having precipitated the election by destabilising the Stephen government. Specifically, Getax had offered the Nauruan government a loan of A$25 million with a 15% interest rate, which, according to an investigative article in The Australian , "would be likely to have resulted in the country defaulting on its repayments, triggering contract provisions that would have let Getax take over the Nauru-owned phosphate industry". The Stephen government rejected the proferred loan. At the time, following the results of the 2008 election, the government had a parliamentary majority consisting in 12 MPs. Shortly thereafter, Getax organised and financed a trip to Singapore for the six opposition MPs and three of the government MPs. The latter three (including Aloysius Amwano) [5] then joined the ranks of the opposition, causing a parliamentary stalemate, and thus the April election. [6] [7]

Phosphate salt or ester of phosphoric acid

A phosphate is a chemical derivative of phosphoric acid. The phosphate ion is an inorganic chemical, the conjugate base that can form many different salts. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Of the various phosphoric acids and phosphates, organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry, and inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in agriculture and industry. At elevated temperatures in the solid state, phosphates can condense to form pyrophosphates.

Australian dollar Official currency used in Australia; also used in Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu

The Australian dollar is the currency of Australia, and of three independent Pacific Island states, specifically Kiribati, Nauru, and Tuvalu. It was introduced on 14 February 1966 when the pre-decimal Australian pound, with subunits of shillings and pence, was replaced by the new decimal currency, the Australian dollar.

<i>The Australian</i> daily newspaper in Australia

The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964, and is the country's most circulated nationally distributed newspaper, available in each state and territory. It rivals with other nationally distributed newspapers like the business-focused Australian Financial Review and The Saturday Paper. The Australian is owned by News Corp Australia.

In October 2010, The Australian published an article, based on revelations by Australian officials and on documents published by the Nauruan authorities, revealing Getax's activities, as well as seemingly inexplicable spending levels by opposition MPs, well beyond the means afforded by their salaries. It also included a testimony alleging that members of the opposition had paid sums of money to potential voters. Questioned by The Australian, Baron Waqa, leader of the opposition, would neither confirm nor deny the claim that Getax had financed the opposition's campaign, but stated: "Getax has always helped Nauru. [...] Getax is disappointed with the way the country is running". [6] [7]

Baron Waqa Nauruan politician

Baron Divavesi Waqa is a Nauruan politician who has been 14th President of Nauru since 11 June 2013. He previously served as Minister of Adult Education from 2004 to 2007.

The Australian Federal Police launched an investigation into the accusations that Getax had bribed Nauruan officials (specifically, opposition and government non-Cabinet MPs) in the hopes that a new government would sign a deal with it on the selling of phosphate. [5]

Australian Federal Police federal police agency of the Commonwealth of Australia

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is the national and principal federal law enforcement agency of the Australian Government with the unique role of investigating crime and to protect the national security of the Commonwealth of Australia. The AFP is an independent agency of the Department of Home Affairs and is responsible to the Minister for Home Affairs and accountable to the Parliament of Australia. Since October 2014 the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police has been Andrew Colvin.

Results and aftermath

On 26 April, it was announced that provisional results indicated that every single one of the 18 members of parliament had been re-elected. [8] This was confirmed on Monday 26 April, and the parliament met for a first session on Tuesday 27 April, to elect a speaker. However, all four nominated candidates were rejected. Parliament is now to resume on Thursday, with the Marcus Stephen administration continuing in a caretaker capacity. [9]

Speaker (politics) presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body

The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.

In its third sitting on 4 May 2010, the speaker election failed yet again. [10] After a fourth failed attempt, the opposition floated the possibility of holding another election. [11] Following the fifth failed attempt, Stephen proposed reforms before early elections, such as electing the speaker from outside parliament to break the deadlock. [12]

In a sixth attempt on 13 May 2010, Godfrey Thoma was finally elected speaker. [13] He immediately proposed to dissolve parliament again. [14] As the government refused to do this, he resigned on 18 May 2010; it seemed possible that the two camps might form a coalition government to break the deadlock. [15]

Progress was finally made when the government's nominee for speaker, Dominic Tabuna, was finally elected on 1 June 2010 in two rounds of balloting. Indirect presidential elections were then set for 3 June 2010. [16] They were then postponed to 4 June 2010, and when they failed again on that date, Tabuna resigned. [17]

Following seven weeks of deadlock, parliament was dissolved on 11 June 2010 and an early election called for 19 June 2010. [18]

e  •  d  Summary of the 24 April 2010 Parliament of Nauru election results
Seats
supporters of Marcus Stephen 9
Others9
Total18
Source: Australia Network News

See also

Related Research Articles

Politics of Nauru

Politics of Nauru takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Ludwig Derangadage Scotty is a Nauruan politician who twice served as President of Nauru and has been Speaker of Parliament since 2013. He served as President from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003 and again from 22 June 2004 until his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007. He served as Speaker from 2000 until his election as President in 2003, again from November 2010 to April 2013, and from June 2013 to June 2016.

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Kieren Aedogan Ankwong Keke is a Nauruan politician and medical doctor. He is a member of the Parliament of Nauru and former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

David Adeang Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru

David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, a former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and Nauru's Minister for Finance and Justice, in addition he is the Minister Assisting the President of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo, currently the only successful political party on the island.

Parliament of Nauru

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Michael Riddell Akua is a political figure from the Pacific nation of the Republic of Nauru.

Frederick William "Freddie" Pitcher is a Nauruan political figure. In December 2007, Pitcher was appointed Finance Minister of Nauru, to serve in the Administration of President Marcus Stephen.

Nauruan nationality law

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2008 Nauruan parliamentary election election

Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on April 26, 2008, following the dissolving of Parliament by President Marcus Stephen on April 18. The decision came after what Stephen referred to as "months of political deadlock". Of the parliament's eighteen members, nine supported the Stephen government and nine were in opposition.

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Sprent Dabwido president of Nauru

Sprent Arumogo Dabwido is a Nauruan politician who formerly served as the President of Nauru and a retired weightlifter. The son of a former parliamentarian, Dabwido was originally elected to the Meneng Constituency in the Parliament of Nauru at the 2004 elections. Having served as Minister for Telecommunications in Marcus Stephen's government from 2009, Dabwido joined the Nauruan opposition faction in November 2011 after Stephen's resignation, and, having passed a motion of no confidence against interim president Freddie Pitcher, was elected president four days later. In his role as president, Dabwido functioned as chairman of the Cabinet of Nauru, and held various portfolios in the Nauruan government.

Aloysius Arabao Iyomogo Edrick Amwano is a Nauruan politician.

2003 Nauruan parliamentary election

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2010 Nauruan presidential election

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June 2010 Nauruan parliamentary election election

Early parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 19 June 2010 after the previous parliamentary election in April 2010 had resulted in a deadlock between government and opposition, tied at nine seats each. This led to an extended state of emergency in Nauru as a result of this election.

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References

  1. ↑ "Early Nauru election called for April 24th". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  2. ↑ "Nauru set for early poll as President orders dissolution of parliament". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  3. ↑ "Nauru heads to the ballot box". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-04-23. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  4. ↑ "IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Nauru". Electionguide.org. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  5. 1 2 "Federal Police to probe claims Nauru bribery claims against Gold Coast company". The Australian. 2010-10-26. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  6. 1 2 "Nauru instability 'Aussie phosphate plot'". The Australian. 2010-10-25. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  7. 1 2 "Mutiny on the phosphate bounty". The Australian. 2010-10-26. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  8. ↑ "Nauru election returns previous parliament unchanged". Radio New Zealand International. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  9. ↑ "Re-elected Nauru parliament fails to elect Speaker". Radio New Zealand International. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
  10. ↑ "Re-elected Nauru parliament again fails to elect speaker". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-05. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  11. ↑ "Amid deadlock, Nauru opposition considers suggesting speaker candidate". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-07. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  12. ↑ "To break stalemate, Nauru president calls for reforms". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  13. ↑ "Nauru parliament elects speaker in sixth attempt". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  14. ↑ "On first day in office, Nauru speaker urges dissolution of parliament". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-14. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  15. ↑ "Nauru MPs consider a coalition government as stalemate drags on". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-05-18. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  16. ↑ "Nauru's newly elected Speaker delays vote for President until Thursday". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  17. ↑ "Nauru Parliament entering a seventh week in deadlock". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
  18. ↑ "Nauru to go back to the polls after seven weeks of stalemate". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-06-12. Retrieved 2010-06-22.
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