POLITICAL REVIEWS the deed would supersede. For an offi­ injunction in the High Court against it. cial document, the method of signing Justice Heron denied the injunction on was not rigorous or systematic. The the ground that the deed cast obliga­ deed was between the Crown and iwi, tions only on those who signed it. The but the six leading signatories are des­ case went to the Appeal Court where it ignated Maori negotiators. The iwi was dismissed by Sir Robin Cooke, that they represented did not appear who ruled that Parliament was free to beside their names. Six other signatures enact legislation on the lines envisaged appeared without iwi designations. in the deed (New Zealand Herald, 4 There were also multiple signings of Nov 1992). the deed by three signatories. One man Chair ofthe Tribal Congress Api­ signed twice, once as a negotiator, and rana Mahuika sided with the dissenting once on behalf of the Tribal Congress. tribes. He warned that the issue would This paralleled the action of Chief Te come back to haunt the government. It Rauparaha, who signed the original happened sooner than expected. Six Treaty ofWaitangi twice. But the deed Maori members ofParliament, two of goes one better by collecting the signa­ them on the government's side, tures oftwo men three times. One opposed the Sealord's Settlement Bill signed on behalf ofhis tribe, and on when it was introduced in the house. behalf oftwo others who were not There was further embarrassment represented. Sir Graham Latimer when Tamati Reedy, a member ofthe signed as a Maori negotiator, president Tribal Congress, pleaded at the United of the Maori Council, and litigant in Nations for an investigation into viola­ the Maori fisheries claim. tions ofindigenous rights by the New Eighteen signatures were designated Zealand government. plaintiffs in the fisheries claim. Others RANGINUI WALKER signed on behalf of waka 'canoe confe­ derations', tribal trust boards, and runanga 'multi-tribal councils'. Two Reference signatories were wrongly classified as New Zealand 1992. The Crown's Obliga­ negotiators. There were twenty-one tions Under the Treaty of Waitangi. Memo­ illegible signatures, indicating a lack of randum to the Cabinet Strategy Commit­ precision in the execution ofthe deed. tee, 17 March. In other cases, the names were speci­ fied in print script beside the signa­ NIUE tures. One ofthe signatories identified himself as Tuwharetoa, a tribe with no The dominance of Niue's politics by Sir access to the sea. Robert Rex came to an end with his Given the flaws identified in the death on 13 December 1992 after a pro­ deed, and minimum time for debating longed illness. Leader of Government it on tribal marae, it was not surprising Business prior to self-government, he that thirteen tribes, including the served as premier from 1974 until his Moriori of the Chatham Islands, op­ death. He had attended the first meet­ posed the deed. They took out an ing ofthe South Pacific Forum in 1971, MiII1I;@i!$¥ q;;; .,.,AM 4";;",,',,

186 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC. SPRING 1994

as well as many other regional confer­ Zealand and Fiji, with Polynesian Air­ ences. lines providing a link to the Cook Tributes came from around the Islands and Western Samoa (and from Pacific, while Niueans paid their re­ there to Australia). This arrangement spects at an all-night vigil. The state faltered when Air Nauru's premiere funeral-Niue's first-was attended by flights were cancelled due to a dispute virtually the entire population of Niue, between Nauru and Fijian authorities as well as representatives from New over air traffic rights, an impasse Zealand and Australia. A public holi­ which Vivian claimed had to be solved day was observed on 18 December, and by the Fiji and Nauru governments. memorial services were held at the The 27 February election, which Town Hall in Auckland, where many brought the Rex era formally to an Niueans live, and in Wellington, New end, saw a record number of candi­ Zealand's capital. dates (24) nominated for the six island­ Young Vivian, who had served as wide common roll seats. Nine ofthe acting premier during Rex's illness, fourteen village constituencies were was elected premier by the Niue As­ contested, including that ofPremier sembly on 22 December. The opposi­ Vivian, who had run unopposed in the tion declined to put up a candidate previous election. Four candidates with a general election only two competed for Sir Robert's Alofi South months away. The main issues, the seat, including the late Premier's economy and unemployment, were youngest son, John Rex. ones on which the Rex-Vivian govern­ The 91 percent voter turnout was ment had experienced setbacks. In late down slightly from I990, and the November Vivian had been forced to results, particularly for the common­ withdraw a tax proposal that would roll seats, showed clear signs of disap­ have added 5 percent to the cost of all pointment with government perfor­ goods and services. The bill, an im­ mance. There seemed little doubt that portant part of a package offering many Niueans desired a break with the lower income-tax rates as well as in­ political past. Sir Robert's widow, creased pensions and child benefits, Lady Patricia Rex, once the island's had been presented as a further step highest vote winner, lost her seat in the toward restructuring Niue's econ­ 2o-member Niue Assembly. Her son omy away from dependence on New John won only I3 percent of the votes Zealand aid. in Alofi South. Her eldest son, Robert, Difficulties had also persisted with narrowly retained his seat. Niue's air services. Following the col­ Others closely associated with the lapse of arrangements with Auckland­ outgoing government also did poorly. based Niue Airlines, the government Common-roll member and cabinet was compelled to charter Polynesian minister Fisa Pihigia failed to win Airlines (at NZ$90,OOO per flight) to fly reelection. Terry Chapman, secretary between Niue and Auckland. Subse­ to government for eighteen years and quently Niue accepted Air Nauru's considered by some to be a likely pre­ proposal of scheduled services to New mier, was unable to win a seat in the r:n:m1!'!"P"....",nemmnprtyn"mIf''f' I M'fil!!!l'/!mtl1!!\!1li!§!#lI!N,@g#!WI!ffl!§0Iii&!ft@M

POLITICAL REVIEWS

assembly. By contrast, government Following a judicial recount, which opponents polled well. Independent confirmed the result, the incumbent O'love Tauveve Jacobsen was re­ was defeated when the election was elected, as was Sani Lakatani, the decided by drawing lots. leader of a faction separate from the On 12 March the assembly elected Rex "establishment." Another member forty-seven-year-old Lui as Niue's third ofLakatani's Atuhau Tupuhake "The premier in three months. In 1990 he Coming Generation" group, Poni had lost his cabinet post after failing to Kapaga, also won a common roll seat. oust Sir Robert from office. A member The poll was topped by a political of the assembly for twenty-seven of the newcomer (543 votes) with a famous past thirty years, he defeated Vivian name-Michael Jackson-and a 11-9 on the first ballot, and immedi­ widely shared Niuean predicament. A ately sought to demonstrate his com­ former public servant, Jackson had mitment to change by the character of been made redundant as a result of his cabinet appointments. budgetary pressures associated with Although Lui and Finance Minister declining levels ofNew Zealand assis­ Lakatani had served before, the re­ tance. When the government printing maining two positions were allocated office was privatized, Jackson lost his to newcomers. As a result Niue had its job but displayed his entrepreneurial first woman minister, Jacobsen, and in skills by leasing the equipment and Coe its first minister ofnon-Niuean establishing himself as the island's only descent. One experienced former cabi­ printer. net minister bypassed by Lui, Tama Another newcomer to the Niue Posimani, resigned from the assembly Assembly was Terry Coe, an indepen­ in May, giving the 104 registered voters dent and the principal of Niue High in his village of Tuapa an opportunity School. He received the third-highest to give a verdict on the new govern­ number ofvotes, gaining a victory ment's performance. By that stage the which represented a new departure for Lui team was finding progress toward Niue's politics. It was the first time that its goals far from straightforward. a palagi 'European' had gained elective The policy of increasing local pro­ office. duction and employment opportunities The results in the remaining four­ through private sector investment, teen seats, one for each ofNiue's vil­ begun under the previous government, lage constituencies, were also note­ was proving difficult to implement. worthy. Both Premier Vivian and Record shipments ofcoconuts and taro leadership contender Frank Lui won produced a glut on the market, de­ reelection, while the Alofi South seat pressing prices and leading to losses by was taken by Tukala Hekau, an old growers, exporters, and distributors. adversary only narrowly defeated by In Maya glove-making factory, oper­ Robert Rex three years ago. In another ated by a New Zealand company, constituency, its size indicative of closed down, with a loss of twenty­ Niue's depopulation in recent years, three jobs. A privatized sawmill was each candidate received forty-six votes. also experiencing difficulties. The eco- I88 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC. SPRING I994 nomic problems were having an effect ity of sixty-year leases on bungalows in on the government's policies and credi­ some villages. bility. In talks with the New Zealand Lakitani apologized to the people government, the premier attempted for the island's economic problems, to avert further aid cuts. New Zea­ and acknowledged that the govern­ land agreed to maintain its level of ment lacked the funds needed to meet support at NZ$7 million for 1993-94 its social and economic responsibilities. (NZ$5 million in budgetary support, Although the previous year's budget NZ$2 million for special projects), but deficit had been reduced from US$1 a 1992-93 budgetary supplement of million to a projected US$500,000, NZ$500,000 was not extended for public servants and old-age pensioners another year. could not expect to receive a promised Attempts to upgrade Niue's interna­ 12-percent cost-of-living allowance tional status continued. Some ofthese during 1993-94. In May the finance were symbolic, others potentially more minister admitted that further reduc­ substantive. New Zealand agreed that tions in the size ofthe public service the office ofits representative on Niue were likely. During the same month would become a high commission, a petrol prices rose by 12 percent, an rank normally reserved for an indepen­ increase designed to raise funds to dent state which is a member ofthe replace aging power generators, pro­ Commonwealth. As anticipated by the vide for road maintenance, and repair constitutional amendment approved in a bulk-fuel depot. 1992, responsibility for the public ser­ Not surprisingly Lui's first overseas vice was transferred from New Zea­ visit was to New Zealand, where he land to Niue. In their joint statement spoke to Niueans living in Auckland on the New Zealand-Niue relation­ and encouraged them to return home. ship (Levine 1993,159-160), the two Changes to New Zealand legislation parties emphasized that New Zea­ made this a more attractive option, as land's acceptance of certain defense Niueans returning to the island to and foreign affairs responsibilities retire (after forty or more years in New did "not confer on the New Zealand Zealand) were able (from I July 1993) Government any rights of control," to receive 100 percent of their New a point underscored with the visit Zealand superannuation benefits. As to Niue in July 1992 of the USS part of a ten-year plan to double Niue's Racine. population the premier offered "come There were also some promising home" incentives for returning economic indicators. In June, agree­ Niueans, including renovations to the ment was reached with Fiji, allowing approximately 360 empty houses on Air Nauru to carry passengers from the island. More fancifully, Lui Niue to Fiji on a weekly direct flight appealed to New Zealand pensioners aimed at boosting tourism and facili­ to consider spending their winters on tating contact with Fiji-based regional Niue. Although land could not be pur­ organizations. Despite uncertainties chased, the premier noted the availabil- associated with air services, the tour- POLITICAL REVIEWS ism and marketing board claimed that TOKELAU the number ofvisitors was three times greater in the first quarter of1993 than Moves toward self-government gath­ twelve months earlier. More dramati­ ered momentum during 1992-93, as cally, the growth in revenue from tour­ steps were taken to introduce cabinet­ ism had increased fivefold during the style political institutions. The August period. 1992 general/ono, held on Atafu, There were plans to transform the decided to establish a Council of Fai­ government administration center into pule to govern Tokelau when the/ono a shopping complex, a project to be is not in session. While this decision funded by the island's Development formally recognized what was already Finance Committee. A television and taking place, an entirely new initiative radio studio was being built with Aus­ (adopted at the same time) saw the tralian support, permitting the island establishment of a new position, Ulu­ to develop its own broadcasting facili­ 0-Tokelau (head ofTokelau), to be ties. The first private enterprise news­ rotated annually among the three paper, the Niue Star, was launched /aipule. As Tokelau's acquisition ofthe in 1993, backed by printer-publisher administrative and political institutions Michael Jackson. An initiative by associated with a national entity a Catholic priest, Father Glover, becomes more complete, New Zealand developed into a small, environ­ is expected to take formal action mentally friendly industry, as Niue assigning the powers ofits administra­ shipped its empty aluminum cans to tor to the Council of Faipule and the New Zealand and its bottles to West­ general/ano. ern Samoa. Nonetheless Tokelau remained on In Tuapa, however, the judgment on the United Nations' list ofeighteen the government's efforts was far from dependencies whose final political sta­ favorable. The by-election saw an tus was still to be determined. In May experienced member ofthe Young the Council of Faipule stressed once Vivian camp, Fisa Pihigia, win the again Tokelau's desire to preserve its seat, capitalizing on antigovernment close political relationship with New sentiment stemming largely from Zealand. A subsequent statement sent economic difficulties. The result to the UN Committee of Twenty-Four left the government in a precarious (on decolonization) emphasized Toke­ position, its fragile one-seat majority lau's preference for finding its own jeopardized by unattractive options solutions to problems ofpolitical, eco­ and significant economic con- nomic, and social development, one straints. balancing responsibility for the man­

STEPHEN LEVINE agement ofits own affairs with ongo­ ing programs of support from New Zealand. Reference Speaking at a UN-sponsored semi­ Levine, Stephen. 1993. Political Review: nar in June in Port Moresby, a New Niue. The Contemporary Pacific 5:158-161. Zealander with considerable experi-