Niki Rattle
10th Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
In office
22 May 2012 – 15 February 2021
Preceded byGeoffrey Henry
Succeeded byTai Tura
Personal details
Born1951
Political partyAppointed
OccupationRegistered Nurse

Niki Rattle (born 1951) was Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament from 22 May 2012 to 15 February 2021.[1]

Rattle was born in Manihiki.[2] She is a Registered Nurse. Before her appointment she served as Secretary of the Cook Islands Red Cross for 18 years.[1][3] She was appointed Speaker by Prime Minister Henry Puna on 22 May 2012.[4]

Career

Her appointment was criticised by the opposition, who felt that an elected MP should have filled the position.[5][6] She was reappointed Speaker in 2014. She is in charge for ensuring the functions of parliament in accordance with the principals of the constitution, and the standing orders and procedures of parliament. Rattle stands for gender equality in parliament, as she was a President of the National Council of Women, President of the Women’s Counselling Centre before her appointment as a Speaker of Parliament. Rattle participated in the first Women's Practice Parliament in the Cook Islands in 2015 and again in 2017, and she introduced the roles and responsibilities of being a Member of Parliament to the women. She is actively engaged in the work of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Group.[7]

On 15 February 2021 Rattle resigned as Speaker, saying that it was important that office-holders be "refreshed from time to time".[1] She was succeeded as Speaker by Tai Tura.[8]

In January 2022 she was appointed Ombudsman.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Speaker's resignation catches MPs off-guard". Cook Islands News. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Speaker enthralls USP audience". Cook Islands News. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  3. ^ "Secretary General Desk". Cook Islands Red Cross. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Niki Rattle appointed Cook Islands Speaker of Parliament". Pacific Women in Politics. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 30 October 2013. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Opposition decries speaker's appointment". Cook Islands News. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. ^ "'An elected speaker has limited powers'". Cook Islands News. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  7. ^ Niki Rattle Retrieved on 19 Feb 2018
  8. ^ Melina Etches (23 March 2021). "Mauke MP Tura appointed Speaker of Parliament". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Niki Rattle appointed new Ombudsman". Cook Islands News. 28 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
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