Media Release 25 July 2007

Governor-General to visit Tokelau

The Governor-General of New Zealand, the Honourable Anand Satyanand, will make his first visit to Tokelau next week.

This will be the second of three visits that the Governor-General will make this year to the Pacific Island countries that are part of the Realm of New Zealand, following his visit to Niue in April and preceding a visit to the Cook Islands later this year.

This visit will reaffirm the relationship of the Governor-General to Tokelau in its current capacity as a dependent territory within the Realm of New Zealand and reinforce the special ties that exist between New Zealand and Tokelau.

The Governor-General and Her Excellency Susan Satyanand will visit each of Tokelau’s three atolls, Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo, between July 31 and August 2. The Official Party, which will include Hon Luamanuavao Winnie Laban in her capacity as Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs and the New Zealand-based Administrator of Tokelau, David Payton, will travel on the HMNZS Resolution from Samoa.

The Governor-General’s programme on each atoll will include an elaborate welcome ceremony involving the entire community, formal meetings with the Taupulega (Village Council) and visits to major infrastructure projects funded by NZAID, including schools and hospitals. Functions for representatives from each community will be held on board the HMNZS Resolution.

Their Excellencies will present to each of the atolls one part of a triptych of paintings, Journeys of courage, especially created for the visit by Auckland-based contemporary artist, Daniëlla Hulme. The atolls are particularly important for her as her mother-in-law, Fonima Asaua, worked as a nurse on Tokelau in the late 1950s.

The visit takes place at an important time in the history of New Zealand/Tokelau relations. In October, the voters on Tokelau will once again be asked to decide whether it should move from being a dependency of New Zealand to the status of ‘self-governing in free association with New Zealand’. The first referendum on this issue in February 2006 narrowly failed to reach the two-thirds threshold that Tokelau had set for making such a change.

The Governor-General said New Zealand and Tokelau would continue to have a strong relationship regardless of the referendum outcome.

"As Governor-General of Tokelau, this visit provides an important opportunity to reaffirm to the people of Tokelau the strong and clear commitment New Zealand has for Tokelau’s well-being and long-term development."

For further enquiries contact: Antony Paltridge, Government House on 04-382-0827 or 021 470 583. or antony.paltridge@govthouse.govt.nz

A high-resolution image of the artwork is available on request. More information on Mrs Hulme’s work can be found at www.daniellahulme.co.nz



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