'Two governments' cause turmoil for Cook Islands

The Cook Islands has two political groups claiming to be the government.

The confusion follows a by-election win for the opposition Cook Islands Party, led by Sir Geoffrey Henry.

The win gave the party 12 votes in parliament - the same as the government of Jim Marurai.

The speaker - Cook Islands Party (CIP) member of parliament, Norman George - then said he intended to support a vote of no-confidence - once as an MP, and once as speaker, using his casting vote to change the government.

That led to the Queen's representative, Fred Goodwin, dissolving parliament and calling fresh elections.

Radio Australia's Bruce Hill says bizarre scenes in parliament followed, with CIP members turning up and broadcasting a session in which they claimed to have voted in their leader, Sir Geoffrey Henry, as prime minister.

Sir Geoffrey then endeavoured to see the Queen's representative so that he could be formally sworn in, but he was refused an audience.

It is believed the CIP will now go to the High Court to get the dissolution overturned.

- RADIO AUSTRALIA