COOK ISLANDS OPPOSITION WANTS PM REMOVED OVER STRAINED RELATIONS WITH NEW ZEALAND

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Leader of the opposition Cook Island United Party opposition leader Teariki Heather says there are fears that seabed mining and that the absence of consultations with New Zealand along with a proposed Cook Islands passport would result in New Zealand changing its ‘free association” relationship.

Heather says a motion of no confidence he tabled against PM Brown, will sit in parliament for at least 14 days. He also condemned Brown for not receiving the protest for a right of response.

"As good partners for sixty years, they (New Zealand) have never been consulted on what's been signed," said Mr Heather.

"We expected him (Mark Brown) to be there and hear the people of the cook islands...but he wasn't there to receive us," added Heather.