Final results from the Cook Islands elections are still a week away but the caretaker Cook Islands Party is confident, with special votes, that it can retain power.
Transcript
Final results from the Cook Islands elections are still a week away but the caretaker Cook Islands Party is confident, with special votes, that it can retain power.
Preliminary results show the Cook Islands Party having lost its majority, taking 10 seats, with the Democratic Party winning 11, the One Cook Islands Movement got two, and one seat is tied.
The Democratic Party's president, Sean Willis, says he expected the election to be close, and the final count could make a difference.
SEAN WILLIS: It could go either way but you know we still have confidence that we'll get the numbers to form the government but we'll wait for the final countdown before we make any statements.
A spokesperson for the Cook Islands Party and finance minister, Mark Brown, says it is too early to say who will form the new government, as a number of different scenarios could play out.
He told Mary Baines special votes still need to be counted, and the two members from the One Cook Islands Movement with seats may have to determine where their support lies to form a government.
MARK BROWN: There is a number of special votes that are yet to be counted for the different constituencies. There's a handful of constituencies that the results may change depending on the outcome of that final count. So at this stage, it is premature to make any declarations and so forth until those final counts are received and the numbers are confirmed. Particularly in those seats where the margins are very close, not until then will we be in a better position to determine who will be the government.
MARY BAINES: At the moment though, it does look like the Democrats might be in government.
MARK BROWN: Well, they have 11 seats now. The Cook Islands Party, our government, has 10. There are two seats being held by Cook Islands First [The One Cook Islands Movement] and there is one seat that is currently sitting on a draw. So there are a lot of different scenarios that can occur, but of course, all dependent on the final count.
MARY BAINES: And you've retained your seat?
MARK BROWN: Yes, yes, I've been very fortunate to be returned by my electorate with a handy margin.
MARY BAINES: Whereas the Prime Minister, Henry Puna, by just two votes, seems to have lost his seat.
MARK BROWN: Well there are two votes difference at the moment, but there are, I think, close to 17 special votes yet to be counted.
MARY BAINES: Have you talked to Mr Puna about this?
MARK BROWN: Yes, I have had a chat to him this morning, and we're very confident that he will have the numbers to retain his seat with a slim margin, and the same with a number of other seats that we have that are holding very slim margins currently. We expect to be able to hold those or win those back, and I think we may have enough to form a government or there could be a scenario where the two members holding the Cook Islands First [One Cook Islands Movement Party] seats would be in a position to determine where their support would go to in terms of forming the government. I think at this stage we are now waiting for the final counts, and once that's through, we will be in a better position then to see what needs to be done in terms of any negotiations that need to take place or the forming of any government. So we will just sit and wait and see.
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