Political Reform Opens the Door: the Kingdom of Tonga's Path To

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Political Reform Opens the Door: the Kingdom of Tonga's Path To POLITICAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM OPENS THE DOOR: THE KINGDOM OF TONGA'S PATH TO DEMOCRACY Guy Powles Dr Guy Powles, Faculty of Law, Monash University, Barrister and Solicitor, New Zealand and Victoria. Home office email: [email protected]. Published by Comparative Law Journal of the Pacific/Journal de Droit Comparé du Pacifique in conjunction with the New Zealand Association for Comparative Law Hors serie/Monograph XV Four acronyms are frequently employed – NCPR – National Committee for Political Reform CEC – Constitutional and Electoral Commission RLC – Royal Land Commission MT – Matangi Tonga (Vava'u Press Ltd, news online) Unless otherwise indicated, "cl" and "cls" refer to the clauses of the Constitution amended as at 30 November 2010 – for which see the consolidation in the Appendix. Where a year is cited, as in 1988 cl 41, that refers to the consolidation of the laws including the Constitution, of that year. Printed by City Print, Wellington, New Zealand 2012 CONTENTS I Introduction .................................................................................................. 1 II Contributors and Sources .............................................................................. 7 III Accomplishments of the Constitutional and Electoral Commission ................ 9 IV Input of King George Tupou V and The Sevele Cabinet .............................. 14 V Analysis of Reform Measures ..................................................................... 17 A Magnitude of the Proposed Changes ........................................................ 17 B Major Changes to the Executive Structure ............................................... 18 C The Cabinet ............................................................................................. 20 1 Size and Composition .......................................................................... 20 2 Un-elected Ministers ........................................................................... 20 3 Full Executive Authority and Responsibility ........................................ 22 4 Cabinet Manual ................................................................................... 23 5 Information for the Assembly and the Public ....................................... 24 D The Legislature ....................................................................................... 24 1 Discipline and Impeachment ................................................................ 26 E The Nobles .............................................................................................. 26 1 Representation ..................................................................................... 27 2 Speaker of the Assembly ..................................................................... 32 3 Estate Holders ..................................................................................... 32 4 Privileges ............................................................................................ 33 F Change of Government............................................................................ 34 G The Monarch, the Assembly and Law-making ......................................... 35 1 'What's in a Name?' ............................................................................. 36 H The Judiciary .......................................................................................... 36 iii 1 Court Structure and Appointments ....................................................... 37 2 Members of the Judiciary Today .......................................................... 37 3 The Judicial Services Commission and Code of Conduct ..................... 38 I Judicial Independence ............................................................................. 39 1 Intervention by King Tupou V ............................................................. 39 2 The CEC's Recommendations .............................................................. 40 3 Current Reforms Concerning the Judiciary........................................... 42 4 An Historical Perspective .................................................................... 43 5 Significance for Tonga ........................................................................ 50 J The Attorney-General.............................................................................. 53 1 Intervention ......................................................................................... 54 2 The Independent Model ....................................................................... 55 3 Commissioner of Police ....................................................................... 60 VI Providing Advice for His Majesty ............................................................... 61 A The Privy Council ................................................................................... 61 B The Law Lords and the Judicial Appointments Panel ............................... 64 C The Monarch's Authority in Government ................................................. 65 VII The Electoral System............................................................................... 71 VIII The Land System .................................................................................... 77 IX Conclusion: The Open Door ........................................................................ 83 A Stock-take ............................................................................................... 83 B Amending the Constitution ...................................................................... 83 C Public Awareness and Involvement ......................................................... 85 References .......................................................................................................... 91 The Constitution of Tonga .................................................................................. 97 iv COMPARATIVE LAW JOURNAL OF THE PACIFIC JOURNAL DE DROIT COMPARE DU PACIFIQUE Le Comparative Law Journal of the Pacific – Journal de Droit Comparé du Pacifique (CLJP-JDCP) a été créé en 1994 sous le nom de Revue Juridique Polynésienne (RJP) et paraît sous l'égide de l'Association de Législation Comparée des Pays du Pacifique (ALCPP) en collaboration avec Victoria University Law Review (VUWLR) et la New Zealand Association for Comparative Law (NZACL). Revue pluridisciplinaire, elle accueille et publie en langue française et/ou anglaise, des articles, monographies ou numéros hors série, relatifs à différents aspects des sciences sociales et humaines intéressant principalement, mais pas exclusivement, les pays de la zone Pacifique. Ses comités scientifiques et de rédaction, sont internationaux et pluridisciplinaires ils veillent à la qualité scientifique et au caractère novateur et inédit des publications qui leur sont soumises. L'accès aux publications et leur téléchargement gratuit, est possible à partir d'un lien sur le site Internet de l'Université de la Polynésie française : http://www.upf.pf (Recherche; CLJP-RJP) alimentant ainsi une banque de données spécialisée et unique sur les sciences sociales et humaines dans le Pacifique Sud tout en assurant sa plus grande diffusion. Les auteurs qui souhaitent soumettre leurs manuscrits peuvent le faire en écrivant à Yves-Louis Sage, Université de la Polynésie française, Campus de Punaauia, BP 6570, Faaa Aéroport, Tahiti, Polynésie Française ou à l'une des adresses électroniques suivantes: [email protected] ou [email protected] Directeur de publication Sage Yves-Louis, Maître de Conférences (Hdr) à l'Université de la Polynésie Française Direction scientifique Blanc-Jouvan Xavier, Professeur Emérite de l'Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne Le Cannu Paul, Professeur à l'Université Paris I - Panthéon-Sorbonne Muir Watt Horatia, Professeur à l'Ecole de Droit de Sciences Po Paris Sir Richardson Ivor, Distinguished Fellow à Victoria University of Wellington Comité scientifique André Sylvie, Professeur à l'Université de la Polynésie française Sir Baragwanath David, Juge et Président du Tribunal international pour le Liban Corrin Jennifer, Directrice du Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law, University of Queensland Joyau Marc, Maître de Conférences (Hdr) à l'Université de Nantes Huet Jérôme, Professeur à l'Université de la Réunion Luo Li, Associate Professeur à Renmin University - Beijing Kitamura Ichiro, Professeur à l'Université de Tokyo Montet Christian, Professeur à l'Université de la Polynésie française Murat Pierre, Professeur à l'Université Pierre-Mendès-France, Grenoble Pastorel Jean-Paul, Professeur à l'Université de la Polynésie Française Patrono Mario, Professeur à l'Université Rome I, La Sapienza Poujade Bernard, Professeur à l'Université Paris 5 Powles Guy, Professeur et Senior Research Fellow Monash University Rouland Norbert, Professeur à l'Université d'Aix-Marseille, membre honoraire de l'Institut Universitaire de France Sir Walker Paul, Juge et President de l'Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal High Court Queen's Bench Division (London) Le Comité scientifique de Victoria University of Wellington Law Review et de la New Zealand Association for Comparative Law (association affiliée à l'UNESCO) Comité de direction Angelo Anthony, Professeur à Victoria University of Wellington (Law Faculty) Atkin Bill, Professeur à Victoria University of Wellington (Law Faculty) Cabannes Xavier, Professeur à l'Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Faculté de droit) Costi Alberto, Associate Professor à Victoria University
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