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The politics of Niue take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Chief Minister is the head of government, and of a non-partisan system. Niue is self-governing in free association with New Zealand and is fully responsible for internal affairs. New Zealand retains some responsibility for external affairs, in consultation with Niue. The Niue Constitution Act 1974 (NZ) vests executive authority in His Majesty the King in Right of New Zealand and the Governor-General of New Zealand. The constitution specifies that in everyday practice, it is exercised by a Cabinet of the Premier of Niue and three other ministers. The premier and ministers must be members of the Niue Assembly, the nation's legislative assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature.
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch | Charles III | 8 September 2022 | |
| Governor-General | Cindy Kiro | 28 September 2021 | |
| Premier | Dalton Tagelagi | Independent | 11 June 2020 |
The monarch is hereditary; his representative in relation to Niue (the Governor-General of New Zealand) is appointed by the monarch. The New Zealand high commissioner is appointed by, and acts solely as a diplomatic agent of, the New Zealand Government. The cabinet is chosen by the premier and appointed by the Speaker of the Niue Assembly and collectively responsible to Parliament.
The Cabinet is made up of four ministers, each overseeing a different portfolio. Each minister, with the exception of the Premier, has another Member of the Assembly assisting him/her in the operations of their portfolio. Each ministry also has Directory Generals serving as permanent employees of the ministries, as well as directors for each division.[1]
| Minister | Portfolio | Constituency | Assistant Minister |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalton Tagelagi | Premier Minister for Central and Commercial Agencies |
Alofi South | |
| Crossley Tatui | Minister of Finance and Infrastructure Responsible for the departments of Finance and Planning; Transport; Communications; Utilities |
Common roll representative | |
| Mona Ainu'u | Minister of Natural Resources Responsible for the departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery; Meteorological Services; Environment |
Tuapa | |
| Sauni Tongatule | Minister for Education and Social Services Responsible for the departments of Justice; Taoga Niue; Education; Health |
Common role representative |
The Assembly has 20 members elected for a three-year term, 6 elected on a nationwide list, called the common roll, and 14 representatives of the villages. Electors must be New Zealand citizens, resident for at least three months, and candidates must have been electors, resident for twelve months. The speaker is elected from among the members.
In Niue, political parties have never played an important role. There is, at present, no political party, and candidates to elections therefore run as independents. The only party ever to have existed, the Niue People's Party, disbanded in 2003.
As there are no political parties, there is no formal parliamentary Opposition, though there are MPs who oppose the government.
Below is a list of recent by-elections:
| Election | Date | Reason | Winner |
| 1988 Common Roll by-election | November 1988 | O'Love Jacobsen | |
| 1997 Common Roll by-election | 15 February 1997 | Death of Toeono Tongatule | Billy Talagi |
| 2001 Common Roll by-election | 2 April 2001 | Resignation of Hima Douglas | Hunuki Hunukitama |
| 2003 Common Roll by-election | 30 August 2003 | Death of Hunuki Hunukitama | Krypton Okesene |
| 2012 Toi by-election | 31 March 2012 | MP disqualified due to improperly administered oath | Dion Taufitu |
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sitting in the United Kingdom is Niue's highest court. On the island, there is a Court of Appeal (which sat in New Zealand until 2009), and the High Court of Niue.[2]
The current Chief Justice of the High Court is Craig Coxhead.[3] The Chief Justice is chosen by the Governor-General of New Zealand on advice from the cabinet of Niue.[4]
Initially, it was the Crown Counsel of New Zealand that provided legal assistance to those accused of serious offenses such as murder. In 1971, the Select Committee on the Appointment of a Public Defender recommended that the Government of Niue provide any offenders with court representation. John Funaki (a non-attorney) was the first to serve as the Public Defender of Niue in 1976.[5] Even today, the government provides funding for a Public Defender.[6]
Niue is divided in 14 villages each with its own village council whose members are elected and serve three-year terms.[7]
Local Government in Niue is established under the provisions of the Niue Village Council Act 1967. Every village in Niue have a Village council, the term in office is three years before going back to the polls. The election of the members of the village council follows the same rules and regulations used in the General Election to elect members of the Niue Legislative Assembly (parliament). At the first meeting of the Village Council the Chairman will be elected, including the Deputy Chair and the appointment of the Secretary/Treasurer. The Village Council receives grants from the Government, donor agencies also fund some development projects. The Council use to organize show days and conduct fundraising activities to generate revenue to help run some of the activities of the village.
Before achieving independence in 1974, there was an Attorney General for Niue that also served as the Attorney General for New Zealand. However, it would not be until 1996 that Niue would create the official title of Attorney General after amending the Niue Act 1966. Nevertheless, the amendment would not create much of a constitutional change, and the introduction of the Interpretation Act 2004 instated the Crown Law Office as providing legal advice to the Niue government. As a result, it was advised in 2004 that the post of Attorney General be repealed.[8]
The head of the Crown Law Office functions as a public servant, and the Public Service Commission designates the titles for the service officers. The Crown Law Office is responsible for advising the government ministries, and advises the police in regards to criminal prosecution. Due to the lack of attorneys in Niue, there are certain instances in which the office will provide legal presentation to Niue residents.[9]
| Attorney General of Niue | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| A'e'au Semi Epati[10] | c. 1995-1996 |
| Warner Banks[11][12] | c. 1997-1999 |
| Togia Sioneholo*[13] | c. 2002-2004 |
*He may have spent the majority of his service as the Acting Attorney General as the Niue government had difficulty filling the position.
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