Cook Islands plan break with New Zealand
Sunday, 22 December 2024
The Cook Islands want to introduce their own passport and offer citizenship to their own people.
This would be the biggest break from New Zealand in 60 years.
While not independent, the Cook Islands has been self-governing while in free association with New Zealand, since 1965.
The Cook Islands are looking to make a break from New Zealand by introducing a separate passport and citizenship.
Documents released under the OIA and reported by 1News show Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown wanting a Cook Islands passport and citizenship for Cook Islanders.
While not independent, the Cook Islands has been self-governing while in free association with New Zealand, since 1965.
Most Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens, but they also have the status of Cook Island nationals.
However, if any plans were to be adopted, the New Zealand Government has suggested the Cook Islands would have to become fully independent from New Zealand.
1News is reporting that In a meeting in November, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told Brown that his country would have to become independent if any changes were to take place, adding that New Zealand was open to that.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters also stated in a letter that any move would have to come through a referendum involving Cook Islanders.
In documents released to 1News, the official position of the New Zealand Government is that “the creation of a Cook Islands passport would raise fundamental questions for our constitutional relationship and shared citizenship”.
It continued, “New Zealand would have a duty to ensure that Cook Islanders who are New Zealand citizens have an opportunity to express a view on the full implications of such a development.”
2025 will see the 60th anniversary of the governing relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands
Under this relationship, New Zealand cannot pass laws for the Cook Islands, while Rarotonga has its own foreign service and diplomatic network.
In addition, Cook Islands nationals have the right to become citizens of New Zealand and can also receive New Zealand government services when in New Zealand
New Zealand has also committed to ongoing financial support to the Cook islands.
Just over 15,000 Cook Islanders live in the islands themselves, however, a further 80,000 live in New Zealand, 85% of whom were born there.