21 Jul 2006

Cook Islands Party wins Matavera by-election

10:10 am on 21 July 2006

The Cook Islands could have a change of government after yesterday's by-electionin Matavera which shows the CIP candidate with an unassailable lead.

Kiriau Turepu polled 234 votes 149 ahead of his nearest rival the ruling Democratic Party's Vaine Teokotai 185, with 31 special votes still to be counted.

The result means CIP has 11 seats, the government 10 , Cook Islands First holds one seat and there are two independents

Cook Islands Party leader sir Geoffrey Henry, says the result will not affect the budget being discussed in Parliament at the moment

"We will get the budget through - and I think that is important. We've got to provide supply to the country. Even though the budget was not constructed by ourselves we will complete that budget discussion to put it through."