13 Nov 2010

Cook Islands governing party says politicians support electoral reform

7:22 am on 13 November 2010

The president of the Cook Islands' governing party says the country's politicians support electoral reform - if that's what the people want.

Voters will be asked during next Wednesday's general election whether they want the number of MPs reduced from 24.

It's been suggested politicians are giving the issue of political reform a shallow treatment and aren't taking enough responsibility for educating their constituents to make an informed decision.

But Sean Willis says the referendum will act as a gauge for what people in the outer islands are thinking.

"Definitely the people in Raro will want a decrease. There are also people asking for increase. Because there're two islands in the Cook Islands that're not being represented in parliament at the moment. So there's that point of view. And these are the issues that need to be sorted out properly not some scholar from Raro coming up with a so-called bright idea and trying to force it down your throat."