Niki Rattle

Niki Rattle (born 1951) is the Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament since 22 May 2012.

Niki Rattle
Rattle seated in the Speaker's Chair
Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
Assumed office
22 May 2012
Preceded byGeoffrey Henry
Personal details
Born1951
Political partyAppointed
OccupationRegistered Nurse

Rattle was born in Manihiki.[1] She is a Registered Nurse. Since 1993, she has served as Secretary of the Cook Islands Red Cross for about 20 years.[2] She was appointed Speaker by Prime Minister Henry Puna on 22 May 2012.[3]

Career

Her appointment was criticised by the opposition, who felt that an elected MP should have filled the position.[4][5] 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.[6]

References
  1. "Speaker enthralls USP audience". Cook Islands News. 20 March 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
  2. "Secretary General Desk". Cook Islands Red Cross. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  3. "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.
  4. "Opposition decries speaker's appointment". Cook Islands News. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  5. "'An elected speaker has limited powers'". Cook Islands News. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  6. Niki Rattle Retrieved on 19 Feb 2018


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