Results for Parliament

A revelation by 'Akilisi Pohiva yesterday afternoon that he had told the Prime Minister to dismiss his two appointed ministers, the Minister of Education and the Minister of Justice, and that 'Akilisi wanted to be the Minister of Education, presented a new dimension to the deliberation in the House over a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister signed by 10 People's Representatives. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

A move by ten members of the Tongan parliament to topple Tonga's first majority-elected government with a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister, Lord Tu'ivakano, on June 18, has plunged Tongan politics into its most unstable state, since the political maneuvering by some politicians with a similar intention resulted in the mindless burning of the Nuku'alofa Central Business District on November 16, 2006. From the House, by Pesi Fonua.

Lord Nuku returns to the Tonga Legislative Assembly after winning the 'Eua Nobles Representative seat, in this morning's nobles by-election, at the Palace Office in Nuku'alofa. Photos by Linny Folau.

Lord Fakafanua, the No. 1 Noble's Representative for Ha'apai was elected this morning, July 19 as the new Speaker of the Tongan Parliament.

"What is the reason for the vote of no confidence?". 'Otuanga'ofa Democratic Party 'ODP: "We have a constitutional right to put forward this motion, whether the motion is strong enough or relevant, that's a different issue altogether." Now that is what I call 'a direct abuse of the constitution' – Senolita Swan.

The Tonga government's 2012-13 budget was finally released by the Ministry of Finance on July 5, five days after the beginning of the new financial year on July 1. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

While Parliament has allowed Tonga's Prime Minister 14 days to respond to a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence in him signed by 10 People's Representatives; the People's Representatives 'Akilisi Pohiva, Sitiveni Halapua and Noble's Representative Lord Fakafanua argued that there was no need for mandatory public consultation to be included in the motion. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga's parliamentarians will go back to work in the House next week to consider a Motion for a Vote of No Confidence, after the Speaker this afternoon cancelled their annual tours, which were scheduled to begin on Monday.

The motion for a Vote of No Confidence in the Prime Minister that was scheduled to be debated in the House tomorrow, June 27, will now be deferred to Thursday, June 28, the Chief Clerk of the House, Sione Tekieki confirmed this afternoon.