Norman George
Encyclopedia
Norman George is a Cook Islands
politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
, Deputy Prime Minister
, and Cabinet Minister.
George was born in Atiu
in the Cook Islands. He worked as a police officer, first for the Cook Islands Police and then for the New Zealand Police Force, before working as a lawyer in Rarotonga
. He was first elected to the Cook Islands Parliament
in 1983.
Between 1984 and 1989 George was a cabinet Minister in the coalition governments of Tom Davis and Pupuke Robati
, holding the portfolios of Foreign Affairs, Customs, Parliamentary Services, Cook Islands Development Bank, Police and Attorney General.
In 1992 George was expelled from the Democratic Party
after a dispute over spending. He established the Alliance Party, which subsequently won two seats in the 1994 elections
. The party, rebranded as the New Alliance Party
, won four seats at the 1999 elections
, and George became Deputy Prime Minister. He was sacked from that role after he defected to the opposition in October, 1999, but regained the position in exchange for his party's support of Terepai Maoate
as Prime Minister.
The New Alliance Party subsequently merged with the Democratic Alliance Party, and George held several portfolios in the coalition government of Robert Woonton
before being sacked again in 2002. A series of scandals over conflicts of interest, the apparent sale of a residency permit to New Zealand developer Mark Lyon, and a court case over "double dipping" saw George decline in popularity. When the Democratic Party did not select him as a candidate for the 2004 elections
, he split from the party and established the Tumu Enua Party
, but failed to win reelection.
Following his election defeat George was appointed Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
. He subsequently returned to Parliament in a by-election
as an independent aligned with the Cook Islands Party
, and was re-elected in the 2006 elections
as a CIP candidate.
George was re-elected at the 2010 election
, but was not given a Cabinet position. As a result he resigned from the party and became an independent again.
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament is the presiding officer of the Cook Islands Parliament. The manage the House in accordance with its Standing Orders and according to the traditions of the Westminster system....
, Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the second most senior officer in the government of the Cook Islands. From 1965 to 1981, the position was called the Deputy Premier. When the office of Premier was renamed to Prime Minister in 1981, the Deputy Premier became the Deputy Prime...
, and Cabinet Minister.
George was born in Atiu
Atiu
Atiu, also known as Enuamanu , is an island lying at 187 km to the northeast of Rarotonga, in the Southern Islands group of the Cook Islands Archipelago.-Geography:...
in the Cook Islands. He worked as a police officer, first for the Cook Islands Police and then for the New Zealand Police Force, before working as a lawyer in Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
. He was first elected to the Cook Islands Parliament
Parliament of the Cook Islands
The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the national legislature on independence in 1965....
in 1983.
Between 1984 and 1989 George was a cabinet Minister in the coalition governments of Tom Davis and Pupuke Robati
Pupuke Robati
Sir Pupuke Robati KBE was a Cook Island politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989....
, holding the portfolios of Foreign Affairs, Customs, Parliamentary Services, Cook Islands Development Bank, Police and Attorney General.
In 1992 George was expelled from the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Cook Islands)
The Democratic Party is a liberal political party in the Cook Islands. It is currently the Opposition party in the Cook Islands Parliament.-Early years:...
after a dispute over spending. He established the Alliance Party, which subsequently won two seats in the 1994 elections
Cook Islands general election, 1994
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 24 March 1994 to elect 25 MPs to the Parliament. The election was a landslide victory for the Cook Islands Party, which won 20 seats. The Democratic Party won three seats, and the newly-established Alliance Party two....
. The party, rebranded as the New Alliance Party
New Alliance Party (Cook Islands)
The New Alliance Party was a political party in the Cook Islands. The party was led by Norman George, and was a continuation of his Alliance Party....
, won four seats at the 1999 elections
Cook Islands general election, 1999
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 16 June 1999 to elect 25 MPs to the Parliament. The Cook Islands Party won 11 seats, the Democratic Alliance Party 10 seats, and the New Alliance Party 4 seats....
, and George became Deputy Prime Minister. He was sacked from that role after he defected to the opposition in October, 1999, but regained the position in exchange for his party's support of Terepai Maoate
Terepai Maoate
Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party...
as Prime Minister.
The New Alliance Party subsequently merged with the Democratic Alliance Party, and George held several portfolios in the coalition government of Robert Woonton
Robert Woonton
Dr Robert Woonton was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 11 February 2002 until 11 December 2004, and is a member of the centrist Democratic Party. A medical doctor by training, he became a Member of Parliament for the island of Manihiki...
before being sacked again in 2002. A series of scandals over conflicts of interest, the apparent sale of a residency permit to New Zealand developer Mark Lyon, and a court case over "double dipping" saw George decline in popularity. When the Democratic Party did not select him as a candidate for the 2004 elections
Cook Islands general election, 2004
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 7 September 2004. Initial results showed the Democratic Party winning by a wide margin, but close results led to 11 electoral petitions being filed, delaying the date Parliament could sit until mid-December...
, he split from the party and established the Tumu Enua Party
Tumu Enua
The Tumu Enua was a political party in the Cook Islands. It was led by Norman George, a former member of the Democratic Party who had founded the breakaway New Alliance Party. The New Alliance Party eventually reunited with the Democrats, but George himself contested the 2004 elections under the...
, but failed to win reelection.
Following his election defeat George was appointed Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament is the presiding officer of the Cook Islands Parliament. The manage the House in accordance with its Standing Orders and according to the traditions of the Westminster system....
. He subsequently returned to Parliament in a by-election
Teenui-Mapumai by-election 2006
The Teenui-Mapumai by-election was a by-election in the Cook Islands electorate of Teenui-Mapumai. It took place on 8 June 2006, and was precipitated by the retirement of Upoko Simpson....
as an independent aligned with the Cook Islands Party
Cook Islands Party
The Cook Islands Party is a nationalist political party in the Cook Islands. It was the first political party founded in the Cook Islands, and one of the two major parties of the Islands' politics since 1965....
, and was re-elected in the 2006 elections
Cook Islands general election, 2006
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on September 27, 2006 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The Democratic Party remained in power, winning 15 of 24 seats. A total of 8,497 voters turned out to vote....
as a CIP candidate.
George was re-elected at the 2010 election
Cook Islands general election, 2010
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 17 November 2010 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party, which won 16 of the 24 seats...
, but was not given a Cabinet position. As a result he resigned from the party and became an independent again.
External links
- Profile at Cook Islands Parliament