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Reverted edits by Olivia Bowie (talk) to last version by InternetArchiveBot

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2017}}
The '''Cook Islands First Party''' (originally known as the '''Demo Tumu Party''', translatable as "Original/True Democratic Party") was a [[political party]] in the [[Cook Islands]]. The party was originally a faction within the [[Democratic Party (Cook Islands)|Cook Islands Democratic Party]] which supported [[Prime Minister of the Cook Islands|Prime Minister]] [[Robert Woonton]] over [[Terepai Maoate]]. The [[2004 Cook Islands general election|2004 elections]] saw the Democrats win a clear majority, but it was not clear whether Woonton would have the numbers within the party to remain Prime Minister. Woonton's announcement on 15 November 2004 that he was forming a coalition with the rival [[Cook Islands Party]] with himself as Prime Minister.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13211 |title=Woonton announces new Cook Islands government |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2004-11-15 |accessdate=2009-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516055914/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13211 |archive-date=16 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This touched off a bitter struggle within the Democrats, which ultimately saw Woonton and his Health Minister [[Peri Vaevae Pare]] expelled from the party. Woonton responded by launching his own party, the Demo Tumu Party, on 1 December 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13516 |title=Cook Islands prime minister forms new party |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2004-12-01 |accessdate=2009-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516055928/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13516 |archive-date=16 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Initially the party consisted of 4 MPs: Woonton, Pare, then-education minister [[Jim Marurai]] and Democratic backbenchers [[Teenui Mapumai]] and [[Poko Simpson]].<ref name="jonassen2006">{{cite journal |last=Jonassen |first=Jon Tikivanotau M |title=Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events: Cook Islands |journal=The Contemporary Pacific |volume=18 |year=2006 |pages=128–133 |doi=10.1353/cp.2005.0087}}</ref> The party maintained its coalition agreement with the Cook Islands Party and the support of independent MP [[Piho Rua]], and Woonton remained Prime Minister. Woonton subsequently resigned his seat in order to fight a [[2005 Manihiki by-election|by-election]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13735 |title=Cooks to vote for new Prime Minister after election draw leads to by-election |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2004-12-12 |accessdate=2009-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524011855/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13735 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> causing his government to be dissolved. The coalition held,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13786 |title=Cook Islands Party believes existing coalition deal will hold |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2004-12-14 |accessdate=2009-04-12}}</ref> with Woonton's deputy [[Jim Marurai]] replacing him as Prime Minister as part of a deal which would see CIP leader [[Geoffrey Henry]] replace him after two years.<ref name="jonassen2006"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13820 |title=Jim Marurai is new Cook Islands prime minister |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2004-12-15 |accessdate=2009-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524011915/http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=13820 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The coalition deal was dissolved in September 2005, and the party, now calling itself "Cook Islands First," formed a new coalition with the Democrats.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=19230 |title=Cook Islands PM sacks two more ministers |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=2005-09-12 |accessdate=2009-04-12}}</ref> The parties re-united shortly before the [[2006 Cook Islands general election|2006 election]], and the party is now defunct.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Cook Islands political parties}}

[[Category:Political parties established in 2004]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in the Cook Islands]]
[[Category:Cook Islands First Party politicians|*Main]]

Cook Islands First Party - Revision history

imported>Number 57: Reverted edits by Olivia Bowie (talk) to last version by InternetArchiveBot