Cook Islands Opposition Rejects Independence, Calls For Greater Self-sufficiency

Caleb
Fotheringham, in Rarotonga

The leader of
the Cook Islands opposition Tina Browne wants the country to
be more self-sufficient, but says there is no desire to be
independent from New Zealand.

The Cook Islands marks
60 years of self-governance in free association with New
Zealand on 4 August.

Rarotonga has been flooded with
high-profile visitors, including the Pacific Islands Forum
secretary-general Baron Waqa and leaders from French
Polynesia, Niue, Tonga, and Tuvalu.

But New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister
Winston Peters are
not present. The Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro is
representing New Zealand at the event instead.

“The
politicians recognise that it’s sad that New Zealand’s not
here, but Cook Islanders are great at celebrating events and
that’s exactly what we’re doing,” Browne said.

Peters has challenged
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown to hold an
independence referendum.

However, opposition leader
Browne said it was not needed.

“We don’t need a
referendum to say to New Zealand that we don’t want
independence, not now.”

She said she agrees with her
government’s direction in trying to be more
self-sufficient.

“I understand [the] government’s
decision to go out looking for development funds, and I
agree with that direction. But I certainly don’t agree to
[severing] our relationship with New Zealand.”

Browne
said she was concerned about the contents of the agreements,
particularly the overarching Comprehensive
Strategic Partnership with China.

She said having
China’s support in maritime development, such as building
ports in the Northern Group, or being involved in deep sea
mining could undermine national security.

“Just have a
look around in the Pacific and how others are engaging with
China and what the outcomes are. I certainly don’t want us,
the Cooks, to be in that situation.”

Another
opposition MP Teariki Heather, who is the leader of Cook
Islands United Party, said he wants Prime Minister Brown to
apologise to the New Zealand government.

He disagrees
that New Zealand needed to consult with the Cook Islands,
which Brown has suggested is a requirement under the 2001
Joint Centenary Declaration.

“We don’t aid New
Zealand, New Zealand aids the Cook Islands,” Heather said,
who led a protest against Brown’s leadership in
February.

Heather said he had not read the agreements
between China and the Cook Islands – which have been made
public.

Looking to the future, Heather wants a bigger
focus on agriculture, so that eggs for example are farmed
domestically, not imported from New Zealand or
Samoa.

Heather said he was also very concerned about
depopulation.

“We have nothing here at the moment to
serve our people… we need our people to live and stay in
our paradise.”

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown
declined a request for an interview.

Green Party
co-leader Marama Davidson and fellow MP Teanau Tuiono are
the only New Zealand MPs attending the
celebrations.

As a Cook Islander, Tuiono said it was
important for him to be in Rarotonga.

“But also, that
relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands is
something that should be celebrated. It’s 60 years, so it’s
incredibly significant for the people here, but also for our
communities back home in Aotearoa.”

Tuiono said it was
important to remember the long-shared history of the Cook
Islands, including family ties with Māori from Aotearoa and
Cook Islands Māori, WWI participation, as well as the
contribution Cook Islanders make in New Zealand
society.

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