NZ Tongans will have to go home to cast their vote

King George Tupou V will retain his right to appoint judges and to veto any laws he considers poor. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

Tongans living in New Zealand will have to return home if they want their voices counted in the country's first democratic elections, planned for November.

Solicitor-General Aminiasi Kefu, visiting New Zealand last week as the Prime Minister's Fellow for Tonga, said Tonga did not have the resources to cope with postal voting.

"I met with the community and most of the older generation want to go back to Tonga and participate in the new elections," Mr Kefu said.

Tonga has had a monarchy system since 1875, but there have been strong pro-democracy movements in the past 30 years, particularly in 2006 when the capital, Nuku'alofa, was severely damaged in riots.

The electoral system will be completed by the end of next month, but will likely consist of 17 electorates, electing 17 Members of Parliament based on the first-past-the-post (FPP) system.

The status quo of nine members chosen by nobles, individual chiefs who have a high ranking in nobility, will remain.

The 26 members will then vote for a Prime Minister from among themselves, who then has the ability to appoint the Cabinet.

If the Prime Minister feels the crop is not good enough, he or she can select up to four unelected people to make up the Cabinet.

Mr Kefu acknowledged the Prime Minister could wield a lot of power by appointing four friends to the Cabinet.

"It all comes down to the elected representatives to avoid nepotism and favouritism. Let's hope they can make an appointment based on merit."

The Cabinet cannot hold a majority of the House, meaning support from outside it will be needed to pass new laws. The three-year term is expected to be retained.

King George Tupou V, who used to appoint all the ministers, has signalled he will consent to Parliament's choice of Prime Minister.

But he will retain his right to appoint judges in the judiciary and to veto any laws he considers poor.

"Lawmakers will be independent but the King will watch over them with his veto power in case Parliament goes off the scales," Mr Kefu said.

"Parliament once passed a law to remove land owned by Tongans living overseas, and His Majesty did not agree with that. But mostly it's very rare for the king to exercise his veto power."

Mr Kefu said the decision to have FPP overruled a royal commission recommendation to have a single transferable vote, because Tongans were more familiar with FPP.

Those campaigning will have to self-fund their campaigns. When asked if that could skew the election in favour of those with more resources, he said: "That is always a possibility.

"But there will be a cap on how much you can spend, and that cap will be pretty low. And the electorates are so small."

The Tongan population is about 130,000 spread over 36 populated islands, which would mean about 7650 people in each electorate, some covering more than one island.

"These reforms have been brewing since the 1900s. Democracy has always been on the mind once people were more educated. There was always a view that the system should change.

"Tonga has taken that reform in its own slow pace."

TONGA'S ELECTION

* Tonga's first democratic election is planned for November.
* Tongans will have to return home to vote.
* The new electoral system is likely to be based on the first-past-the- post system.