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1978 Cook Islands general election
	22 seats in the Legislative Assembly; 13 seats needed for a majority
Albert Henry; Cook Islands	Albert Henry; Cook Islands

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 30 March 1978 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP) of Premier Albert Henry, which won 15 of the 22 seats.^[1] The Democratic Party won the remaining seven seats.

Following the elections, the Democratic Party challenged the results, claiming Henry had used public funds to subsidise flights that brought expatriate CIP supporters back to the Cook Islands to vote, which cost around $300,000.^[2] The election of nine CIP MPs was subsequently overturned by an electoral court, allowing Democratic Party leader Tom Davis – who had lost his seat before being reinstated as a result of the ruling – to become Premier. Henry was subsequently convicted of conspiracy and misuse of public money,^[3] and later stripped of his knighthood.

Background

Elections were called six months early by Henry, hoping to capitalise on divisions in the Democratic Party during a leadership challenge.^[4] Prior to the elections, three prominent CIP members, William Estall, Raui Pokoati and Joe Williams, left the party.^[5] Williams subsequently established the Unity Party.^[6]

As overseas voting was not possible, Cook Islanders had to return to the islands to vote. Special polling stations were set up at Rarotonga International Airport.^[6] Both the CIP and the Democratic Party persuaded supporters to fly from New Zealand, with six planeloads of CIP supporters travelling at a subsidised cost of $20 each, and two planeloads of Democratic Party supporters, who paid the full fare. Around 800 supporters of the CIP were transported on Ansett planes, with Democratic Party supporters travelling by Air Nauru.^[6]

Results



Party		Seats	+/–
	Cook Islands Party	15	+1
	Democratic Party	7	–1
	Unity Party	0	New
Total		22	0

Source: Pacific Islands Monthly

By electorate

Constituency	Candidate	Votes
Aitutaki–Manuae	Kura Strickland	654
	Geoffrey Henry	639
	Ngereteina Puna	636
	Matai Simiona	252
	Koekoe John Mokotupu	203
	Sadaraka Metuakore Sadaraka	194
	William John Estall	65
	Tere Aaron Marsters	53

Atiu	Vainerere Tangatapoto	252
	Tangata Simiona	247
	Franco Mateariki	212
	Tepou Boaza	209
	Paul Pomani Tangata	7

Mangaia	Papamama Pokino	370
	Matepi Matepi	367
	Torotoro Kimiravenga	160
	Tere Evangelia Aratangi	140

Manihiki	George Frederick Ellis Jr.	92
Manihiki	Epinisa Toma	64

Mauke	Tupui Ariki Henry	188
Mauke	Julian Dashwood	72

Mitiaro	David Tetava	66
	Raui Pokoati	49
	Celina James Scott	2

Penrhyn	Tangaroa Tangaroa	145
	Walter Benedito	69
	Fred Ford	6

Puaikura	Jimmy Mareiti	541
	Raymond Pirangi	517
	William Heather	509
	Harry Napa	490
	Joseph Williams	37

Pukapuka–Nassau	Inatio Akaruru	313
Pukapuka–Nassau	Mataora Tutai	62

Rakahanga	Pupuke Robati	70
Rakahanga	Turuta Temu	47

Takitumu	Matapo Matapo	603
	Apenera Short	599
	Teariki Matenga	565
	Iaveta Short	564
	Taramai Tetonga	555
	William Cowan	530
	Tuainekore-o-turepu Keenan	31

Te-au-o-Tonga	Albert Henry	1,420
	Lionel George Browne	1,363
	Teanua Dan Kamana	1,353
	Rei Jack	1,323
	Thomas Davis	1,248
	Vincent Ingram	1,201
	Fred Goodwin	1,173
	Teariki Piri	1,173
	Enua Bishop	41
	Thomas Tixier	40
	Michael Tavioni	39
Source:^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Aftermath

Immediately after the elections, the electoral law was amended to prevent Cook Islanders living overseas from voting, with a requirement to have been resident for three months prior to election day introduced.^[6]

The results of the three Rarotonga constituencies were challenged by the Democratic Party. The petitions were heard in an electoral court presided over by Chief Justice Gaven Donne, which sat in Auckland, Rarotonga and Wellington in May and June.^[11] It was revealed that Henry had paid $290,000 for the flights for CIP supporters back to the Cook Islands to vote using a specially founded government company.^[11]

The votes cast by the CIP voters who flew in were annulled, resulting in eight of the CIP MLAs elected in Rarotonga losing their seats and being replaced by the losing Democratic Party candidates including Tom Davis. The result in Mitiaro, where David Tetava of the CIP was elected, was also overturned due to corrupt practices and a by-election ordered on 5 October 1978.^[12] David Tetava died before the election, and the only other candidate, Tiki Tetava, was elected unopposed.^[13]

With the Democratic Party now holding a 15–6 majority in the Legislative Assembly, Davis formed a new government. He retained the portfolios of Finance and Economic Development for himself, and appointed Pupuke Robati as Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Vincent Ingram as Minister of Justice and Police, Papamama Pokino as Minister for Supportive Services, Iaveta Short as Minister of Agriculture and Tourism, Tangata Simoiona as Minister of Education and Tangaroa Tangaroa as Minister of Internal Affairs.^[11] Titi Tetava Ariki won the subsequent by-election in Mitiaro.^[14]