Tokelauan self-determination referendum, 2006

The Tokelau self-determination referendum of 2006, supervised by the United Nations [cite news|publisher=NZHerald|title=New Zealand's last colony to vote on future|date=10 Feb 2006|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10367667] , was held from February 11 to February 15, 2006. The defeated proposal would have changed Tokelau's status from an unincorporated New Zealand territory to a self-governing state in free association with Wellington, akin to the Cook Islands and Niue.

Despite the majority 60% who voted in favour of the proposal, the referendum failed to get the two-thirds majority required for the referendum to succeed. [cite news|publisher=New Zealand Government|title=Tokelau referendum does not produce a two thirds majority in favour of a change of status|date=16 Feb 2006|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/ViewDocument.aspx?DocumentID=24941]

The majority of Tokelauans reside in New Zealand, and were ineligible to vote in the referendum, in line with standard practice in United Nations mandated votes on self-determination. However concerns among this community may have influenced those who were eligible to vote, thereby contributing to the referendum's failure. [cite news|publisher=Radio New Zealand International|title=Tokelau leaders confident of stronger backing for next referendum on self determination|date=13 March 2007|url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=30721]

The passage of the referendum would have removed Tokelau from the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, as the Cook Islands and Niue were removed from this list when they were granted self-governance in 1965 and 1974, respectively.

Outgoing Tokelau "Ulu" (head of government) Pio Tuia suggested in February 2006 that since the vote failed to pass by such a small margin, the issue was likely to be revisited in a few years' time. [cite news|publisher=TMCnet|title=Outgoing Tokelau Boss Keen For New Referendum|date=16 Feb 2006|url=http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/02/16/1380408.htm] In June 2006, his successor Kolouei O'Brien announced that the Fono had agreed to hold a similar referendum again in late 2007 or early 2008; [cite news|publisher=Radio New Zealand International|title=Tokelau plans another referendum on self-determination|date=5 June 2006|url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=24536] in the end, it was decided to hold a second referendum on self-determination in October 2007. [cite press release | title = Decolonization United Nations success story, but task not yet complete, Fourth Committee told as debate begins | publisher = United Nations | date = 2 October 2006 | url = http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/gaspd341.doc.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-14]

An unintended result of the United Nations' recent efforts to promote decolonization in Tokelau has been the re-emergence of a Tokelauan claim to Swains Island, which is legally part of American Samoa, hitherto a somewhat dormant issue.

Voting schedule

Results

The proposal: "That Tokelau become a self governing state in Free Association with New Zealand on the basis of the Constitution and as in the draft Treaty notified to Tokelau".

References