Parliament of Nauru

Parliament of Nauru
Parliament of Nauru
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	31 January 1968
Leadership
Speaker	Marcus Stephen, Independent ; since 27 August 2019
Deputy Speaker	Vacant
President of the Republic	Lionel Aingimea, Independent ; since 27 August 2019
Structure
Seats	19 members
Political groups	Government (14): Nauru First (5); Non-Partisan (9); Opposition and non-aligned (5): Opposition (4); Non-Partisan (1);
Elections
Voting system	Dowdall system
Last election	24 August 2019
Next election	2022
Meeting place
	, Yaren
Website
	Official website
Footnotes
	* all candidates for Parliament officially stand as independents.

The Parliament of Nauru has 19 members, elected for a three-year term in multi-seat constituencies. The President of Nauru is elected by the members of the Parliament.^[1] The number of seats was increased to 19 following elections in 2013.^[2]

The members of the Parliament of Nauru are elected by a positional voting system.^[1]

History[]

The Parliament of Nauru came into existence with the country's independence on 31 January 1968. The island was previously a United Nations Trust Territory administered by Australia. The Australian government's Nauru Act 1965 created the Legislative Council for the Territory of Nauru, consisting of 15 members – nine elected members, one ex officio member (the Administrator of Nauru), and five "official members" nominated by the Administrator.^[3]

On 22 March 2010, Radio New Zealand International reported that President Marcus Stephen had dissolved Parliament in readiness for elections on 24 April 2010. The election saw all 18 MPs returned,^[4] but by this stage nine of them had formed the Opposition, resulting in a deadlocked Parliament. Another election was held in June 2010 as a result of the continuing deadlock. After weeks of uncertainty, the deadlock was resolved when the Opposition agreed to have one of its own MPs, Ludwig Scotty, elected as Speaker. President Stephen then suggested that the number of MPs should be expanded to 19, to prevent future deadlocks.^[5] In late 2012, Parliament, under the leadership of President Dabwido, acted on this suggestion and passed a law increasing the number of seats to 19 after election in 2013, it is expected to prevent future deadlocks like the one in 2010.^[2]

Current MPs[]

Constituency	Member	Party	Faction	Minister Portfolios
Aiwo Constituency	Milton Dube	Non-partisan	Government
Aiwo Constituency		Non-partisan	Government	Commerce, Industry & Environment; RONPhos; Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation
Anabar Constituency	Riddell Akua	Naoero Amo	Government
Anabar Constituency	Ludwig Scotty	Non-partisan	Government
Anetan Constituency	Cyril Buraman	Non-partisan	Government
Anetan Constituency	Marcus Stephen	Non-partisan	Opposition
Boe Constituency	Mathew Batsiua	Non-partisan	Opposition
Boe Constituency	Baron Waqa	Non-partisan	Government	Public Service; Police & Emergency Services; Foreign Affairs & Trade; Climate Change
Buada Constituency	Shadlog Bernicke	Non-partisan	Government	Phosphate; Nauru Utilities Corporation; Telecommunications
Buada Constituency	Roland Kun	Naoero Amo	Opposition
Meneng Constituency	vacant	Naoero Amo	Government
	Lyn-Wannan Kam	Non-partisan	Government
	Squire Jeremiah	Non-partisan	Government
Ubenide Constituency	David Adeang	Naoero Amo	Government	Finance & Sustainable Development; Justice; Eigigu Holdings Corporation; Airline
	Russ J. Kun	Non-partisan	Opposition
	Gabrissa Hartman	Non-partisan
	Ranin Akua	Non-partisan	Government
Yaren Constituency	Kieren Keke	Naoero Amo	Opposition
Yaren Constituency	Charmaine Scotty	Non-partisan	Government	Home Affairs; Education and Youth; Land Management

Speaker[]

The Speaker is the presiding officer of Parliament. The Speaker is an MP elected by the MPs. The Speaker has no vote in no-confidence votes and presidential elections.

Following the April 2008 election, Riddell Akua was appointed Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru. He replaced David Adeang.^[6]

Two weeks after the April 2010 election, Godfrey Thoma was elected Speaker.^[5] Due to the political deadlock fresh elections were held in June, after which Parliament continued to be deadlocked until the election of Ludwig Scotty to the chair in November 2010. Scotty resigned at the end of the 20th Parliament in March 2013. Godfrey Thoma was elected to replace him. Following the 2013 election, Scotty was re-elected to the speaker's post.

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "About Parliament", Parliament of Nauru Archived 20 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Nauru country brief" Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 10 November 2012
^ "Nauru Act 1965". Federal Register of Legislation.
^ "Nauru election returns previous parliament unchanged". Radio New Zealand International. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Political standoff ends with speaker's election in Nauru", ABC Radio Australia, 13 May 2010 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Nauru president moves to ensure political stability" Archived 22 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, ABC Radio Australia, 1 May 2008

Sources[]

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2013-06-11/baron-waqa-named-as-new-nauru-president/1144022
http://www.naurugov.nr/government-information-office/media-release/honbaron-waqa-elected-president.aspx^{[dead link]}

External links[]

Official website

Coordinates: 0°32′50″S 166°55′00″E / 0.54722°S 166.91667°E / -0.54722; 166.91667

[About_Parliament-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b "About Parliament", Parliament of Nauru Archived 20 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine

[countrybrief-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Nauru country brief" Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 10 November 2012

[3] "Nauru Act 1965". Federal Register of Legislation.

[RNZI_53201-4] "Nauru election returns previous parliament unchanged". Radio New Zealand International. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2011.

[radioaustralianews.net.au-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Political standoff ends with speaker's election in Nauru", ABC Radio Australia, 13 May 2010 Archived 17 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine

[6] "Nauru president moves to ensure political stability" Archived 22 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, ABC Radio Australia, 1 May 2008

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

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