7 Nov 2002

Cook Islands PM favours political reforms

4:47 pm on 7 November 2002

The Cook Islands prime minister, Dr Robert Woonton, says he is in favour of the country undergoing political reforms and he would like to see the 25 member parliament reduced to 15 MPs.

The system favoured by Dr Woonton would see each voter electing 15 candidates to form a new government.

Dr Woonton believes this system would stop political favouritism being extended.

He would also like to see the prime minister nationally elected rather than by a parliamentary vote.

The Political Reform Conference, a group of individuals pushing for changes to the political system, has backed the prime minister's views saying national voting for 15 MPs would help remove the influence of political parties.

The Reform Conference also believes a nationally elected prime minister would do away with the political manouvering in parliament.