Aitutaki votes to scrap Sunday flights

Transcript

The people of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands have voted that Sunday flights between the island and Rarotonga should be scrapped.

The referendum held yesterday was promised by prime minister Henry Puna after the Cook Islands Party won the recent Vaipae Tautu by-election.

The flights have caused ongoing tension since being introduced six years ago, as those opposed to them say Sunday is a sacred day when businesses shouldn't operate.

Mary Baines reports.

The Chief Electoral Officer Taggy Tangimetua says results show 56 percent of people who voted want Sunday flights to end. But she says the referendum is not binding on the government.

TAGGY TANGIMETUA: In the case of this referendum, where it refers to Sunday, and its religion, in the constitution it's not binding because of the freedom of religion in our constitution. The results will guide the government in its action, but I think they may choose to act on it.

Ms Tangimetua says of the 1081 registered voters in the three Aitutaki constituencies, there was a 61 percent voter turnout.

TAGGY TANGIMETUA: That's low in comparison to voting of candidates, parliamentary elections. Because we normally have, 85 percent would be the lowest. Especially in the outer islands. With the referendum, it was 61 percent voter turnout.

The managing director of Air Rarotonga, Ewan Smith, says the results of the referendum are not a true reflection of what the people of Aitutaki really think.

EWAN SMITH: Very low turnout, of around 60 percent of registered voters. I would have expected that those who were opposed to flights would vote and obviously a lot of people who were either not interested in it or would possibly have no objection stayed home.

Mr Smith, who is also the chairman of the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation, says canning Sunday flights would have huge effects on the island's economy and tourism industry. He says the Sunday flights to Aitutaki are very popular, as they connect on to New Zealand flights.

EWAN SMITH: It would have a very severe effect on the industry over there, because prior to those Sunday flights being operated, back in 2008, the hotels and everything else suffered very low occupancies over the weekend because people would tip out on Friday and Saturday and only go back over there Monday or Tuesday.

But the mayor of Aitutaki, John Baxter, says the people have spoken and clearly do not want Sunday flights. He says the referendum was long overdue, and now it is up to the government to decide what to do with the information it has received.

JOHN BAXTER: The people have spoken and obviously [more than] 50 percent have gone against the Sunday flights. And if that's what they want, then that's the way it should be. The government, the ball's in their court now, so it's up to them to decide what they're going to do and take clear action.

A government spokesperson says the prime minister Henry Puna would not yet comment on the poll's outcome. He says Mr Puna is taking advice from officials and will talk to Cabinet, and possibly industry stakeholders, before a decision is made.