Transcript
TINA BROWNE: Well I'd like to think that it would and we've been campaigning also on that platform, on the basis that, not only that we have, the Democratic Party has an increased number of females standing but also the fact that if we do get in and I do get the seat for Rakahanga then yeah it'll be the first female Prime Minister for the Cook Islands.
JENNY MEYER: What are the main issues that your party is campaigning for? What would you like to see change there in the Cook Islands if you do get elected?
TB: There are a few things that we want changed. Some examples; we want to work hard on the cost of living especially in the outer islands. We also want to get on with a true political reform. Some 20 years ago there was a Commission of Enquiry that was appointed to look into political reform, unfortunately the recommendations in that report were never done, except for one I think, so we would like to see true political reform happening. We would like to also revise the tax situation in the Cook Islands and have that reviewed. There's quite a few, the road problems the tarsealing problems in Rarotonga. Rarotonga especially because of our tourism industry and our reliance on tourism income. The outer islands is something that we want to address the numbers. The immigration laws need to be re-looked at, we need to focus on how to prevent our people from leaving the Cook Islands, especially the outer islands the population in the outer islands has decreased and we need to arrest that and see what we can do to encourage our people to remain in the Cook Islands.
JM: And what sort of reaction have you had from the public? Are you feeling that there might be a move towards change there? I think the current government's been sitting now for eight years.
TB: Yes I'm feeling very good about the change. The feedback from Rarotonga, I'm now in Rakahanga, the feedback from Rarotonga has been positive. I'm feeling very good about the prospect of the Democratic Party coming into government after the 14th of June. There's some thinking that well it'll be the same old, same old, but I think the middle part of the population and the younger generation are about issues and they are looking for a better government I think, a better change.
JM: Just finally if the numbers are kind of in the balance, I know that there's, you know there's a smaller third party the One Cook Islands Movement as well as the major Cook Islands Party and then there are a few Independent people standing, if it comes to a negotiation as to how to move forward, what are your thoughts there?
TB: We are open to negotiating with the One Cook Islands who is the party I think you were referring to, the third party. We're also open to negotiations with the independent candidates that win their seats. So the doors are open for that to happen if we do not get the majority that we are hoping to get.