Results for Parliament

Tonga elected an all-male parliament today, with nine new faces coming into 17 People's Representative seats. No women were returned or elected. The Prime Minister, Hon. Rev. Dr Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa retained his Tongatapu 10 constituency. Eight Cabinet Ministers, including two Nobles serving as Ministers, were returned. Preliminary results were announced by the Supervisor of Elections Pita Vuki on national radio (TBC) just before 11:00pm Thursday. Tonga has a midnight curfew under its Health Emergency, so after a few minutes of tooting car horns and a handful of fireworks on the Touliki seafront, let off by jubilant supporters of successful candidates, most people went home. UPDATED.

Polling opened at 9:00am this morning, at 200 polling stations throughout Tonga, in the General Election held every four years. It's a fine day for voting and in the capital, traffic is lively. After polls close at 4:00pm the preliminary running results will be announced by the Election Commission and by around 8:00-10:00pm tonight we'll know the leading candidates. Election Supervisor, Pita Vuki, hopes that more voters than ever will turnout today and reverse a trend of growing voter disaffection that saw the last turnout drop to about half of registered electors. By Mary Lyn Fonua.

At this stage there is no delay to Tonga’s General Election scheduled for November 18, Electoral Commissioner, Pita Vuki, told Matangi Tonga today, despite the week-long lockdown on Tongatapu restricting candidates from campaigning.

On the closing of the 2021 parliamentary session today, King Tupou VI stated that it was important for the House to make sure that the government of the day used taxpayers' money wisely. In a speech read by Lord Ve'ehala, the King said that in this election year Tonga faces many challenges, including illicit drugs, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. He wished Tongans: “All the best for sensible voting in the coming November election.” From the House by Pesi Fonua.

The Whole House Committee of the Tongan Parliament this evening, 25 August, passed two public health bills that aim to give the Ministry of Health, under certain conditions, the power to declare that vaccinations are compulsory. Public health authorities say the new provisions won't be forced but are there in case unvaccinated people are considered a danger to the rest of the population. From the House by Pesi Fonua

The Tongan Parliament got off to a slow start yesterday, 10 August after its four weeks break. At first it did not have a quorum, so it went into recess for 10 minutes. In fact, the House was scheduled to resume on 2 August. However, it did not get rolling until yesterday morning. Government had tabled several Bills to the House only the day before the House resumed its proceeding. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Tonga is set to introduce compulsory inoculation against coronavirus disease. A Bill to amend the Public Health Act to enforce inoculation of the public against COVID-19, was among seven Bills that government tabled into parliament yesterday, 3 August. The Bill was carried unanimously on its first reading and passed on to a Standing committee. Full details of the amendment have not been released to the public. From the House by Pesi Fonua.

Survivors of domestic violence or gender-based violence in Tonga can now access justice with more comprehensive legal support provided online by the Tonga Family Protection Legal Aid Centre.

Questions in parliament this morning once again failed to win any clarity from the Prime Minister on the salaried status of his jailed Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism. No new ministers have been appointed to the portfolios held by 'Akosita Lavulavu, who started five years imprisonment on Friday July 2. It appears that the Prime Minister is not going to give her a red card. From the House by Pesi Fonua