The Cook Islands parliamentary speaker, Niki Rattle, has been returned for another term during the inaugural sitting of the new parliament.
Her appointment, however, has drawn some controversy.
The Cook Islands News says she was in the process of being nominated by the Prime Minister Henry Puna, when James Beer of the Democratic Party questioned whether Mr Puna had the confidence of the 23 MPs in the House.
The Clerk John Tangi, acknowledging Mr Beer, said the constitution permitted Mr Puna to proceed to make the nomination, which was seconded by Takuvaine MP and Minister of Finance Mark Brown.
