Toke Talagi

Toke Talagi
Premier of Niue
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 June 2008
Governor General	Jerry Mateparae Patsy Reddy (Designate)
Preceded by	Young Vivian
Personal details
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Emeline Fifitaloa

Toke Tufukia Talagi^[1] is the current premier of Niue. He was elected premier by the Niue Assembly on 19 June 2008, defeating the standing premier Young Vivian by fourteen votes to five, with one abstaining.^[2][3]

It was under Talagi's premiership that Niue became, in November 2011, a founding member of the Polynesian Leaders Group, a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment.^[4][5][6]

Talagi has been, at various times, deputy prime minister,^[7] minister of Finance,^[8] and minister of Education.^[9] Elected to the national Assembly in 2002, he obtained the same number of votes as an opponent in the 2005 election, and retained his seat only thanks to a favourable random draw to designate a winner.^[8] He was re-elected easily in 2008.^[10]

There are no political parties in Niue; Talagi is therefore an independent.

Talagi is also president of the Niue Rugby Union.^[11]

In 2008, he was elected chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.^[12] In May 2009, Talagi co-chaired the 5th Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting (PALM) with then Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in Hokkaido.^[13]

References

1. "Results Of Inaugural EU, Pacific Islands Forum", joint press statement issued by the European Union and the Pacific Islands Forum, 19 September 2008
2. "Talagi declared new Niue premier", ABC Radio Australia, 19 June 2008
3. "Niue parliament elects Toke Talagi as new premier". Radio New Zealand International. 20 June 2008. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
4. "NZ may be invited to join proposed ‘Polynesian Triangle’ ginger group", Pacific Scoop, 19 September 2011
5. "New Polynesian Leaders Group formed in Samoa". Radio New Zealand International. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
6. "American Samoa joins Polynesian Leaders Group, MOU signed", Savali, 19 November 2011
7. "Building Small Island Capacity to Withstand Economic, Environmental Shocks Focus of Panel at UN Mauritius Conference", United Nations, 13 January 2005
8. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
9. Niue government website
10. New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
11. Niue National Olympic Committee, 26 March 2005
12. "Niue wants more from New Zealand", ABC Radio Australia, 29 September 2008
13. "Tongan PM to attend Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting in Japan". Matangi Tonga. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. Retrieved 2009-10-05.

External links

• Talagi speaks about developing Niue's economy and halting the demographic decline, interviewed by Geraldine Coutts of ABC Radio Australia, 29 September 2008 (audio)