Cook Islands High Court Gives Go Ahead for Petition

The Cook Islands High Court had given plaintiff Nandi Glassie to go ahead with the petition challenging the Atiu by-election results.

The island nation was taken by surprise when MP Te-Hani Brown resigned just two weeks after holding onto the seat in a by-election forced by her. The lawyers representing Brown asked if she could revoke her resignation if the petition was denied. However, this was rejected by the Crown and Glassie’s team and struck out by the judge.

The Tengatangi-Areora-Ngatiarua constituency challenge was based on Glassie’s concerns the prime minister and four cabinet ministers accepted free flights to Atiu to campaign on behalf of Brown. Now that he petition has been given the go ahead, the facts will surely come out.

“The gathering of all the evidence and requests for disclosure by the plaintiff. It looks like the petition will be heard as a split hearing between the main island of Rarotonga as well as well as Atiu, over a number of days, possibly three days, next month,” said a correspondent.

If Glassie’s claims are found to be true, there could be serious consequences for the current government.