Hunuki Hunukitama
{{Short description|Niue Assembly member}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Hunuki Hunukitama
| image =
| honorific-prefix =
| office = Member of Niue Assembly
| party = Independent
| term_start = April 2001
| term_end = July 2003
| predecessor = Hima Douglas
| successor = Krypton Okesene
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date = July 2003
| death_place = Limu Pools, Niue
| spouse =
| office1 = Secretary to Premier of Niue
| premier1 =
| termstart1 =
| termend1 =
| predecessor1 = ?
| successor1 = ?
}}
Hunuki Saletogia Hunukitama{{cite web |title=Niue National Youth Policy 2003–2008 |url=http://www.paddle.usp.ac.fj/cgi-bin/paddle?e=d-010off-paddle--00-1--0---0-10-TX--2-------0-11l--11-en-50---20-fsm---10-3-1-000--0-0-11-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&d=niu010&gg=1 |website=Government of Niue – Department of Community Affairs |publisher=Government of Niue |access-date=9 November 2021 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109001307/http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3ACkcQAAoycL8J%3Awww.paddle.usp.ac.fj%2Fcgi-bin%2Fpaddle%3Fe%3Dd-010off-paddle--00-1--0---0-10-TX--2-------0-11l--11-en-50---20-fsm---10-3-1-000--0-0-11-0utfZz-8-00%26a%3Dd%26d%3Dniu010%26gg%3D1&hl=en&gl=us&strip=1&vwsrc=0 |url-status=dead }} (died July 2003{{cite news |title=Formal complaint lodged over medical treatment of Niue MP who died earlier this year |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/145779/formal-complaint-lodged-over-medical-treatment-of-niue-mp-who-died-earlier-this-year |access-date=13 March 2021 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=17 October 2003}}) was a Niuean politician and independent member of the Niue Assembly from 2001 until his death in 2003. Prior to his election to the assembly, Hunukitama served as the secretary to the premier of Niue.{{cite report |url=https://www.sprep.org/att/IRC/eCOPIES/Countries/niue/32.pdf |title=Review of Socio-Economic & Environmental Impacts of Population, Resettlement, and Migration in Niue |last1=Kaluwin |first1=Chalapan |last2=Kick, III |first2=Charles |last3=Aston |first3=James |date=10 March 1999 |publisher=South Pacific Regional Environment Programme |location=Apia, Samoa |page=50 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110184820/https://www.sprep.org/att/IRC/eCOPIES/Countries/niue/32.pdf |archive-date=2021-11-10}} Additionally, Hunukitama served in managerial roles across a number of governmental and business organizations.
Political career
Hunukitama was elected to a common roll seat in the Niue Assembly in an April 2001 by-election that occurred after MP Hima Douglas resigned to take an appointment as the High Commissioner of Niue to New Zealand,{{cite news |title=Independent Hunukitama Wins Niue By-Election |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2001/04/03/independent-hunukitama-wins-niue-election |access-date=18 March 2021 |work=Niue Economic Review |agency=Pacific Islands Report |publisher=Pacific Islands Development Program |date=2 April 2001 |archive-date=2 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102002730/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2001/04/03/independent-hunukitama-wins-niue-election |url-status=dead }} defeating a Niue People's Party candidate by a significant margin. Hunukitama was re-elected to the Niue Assembly in the 2002 Niuean general election as a common roll member.{{cite news |title=Niue's Election Inconclusive |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2002/04/22/niues-election-inconclusive |access-date=9 November 2021 |work=Pacific Islands Report |via=Radio Australia |date=21 April 2002 |archive-date=10 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210910072912/http://www.pireport.org/articles/2002/04/22/niues-election-inconclusive |url-status=dead }} In that year, Hunukitama ran against Young Vivian for Premier of Niue and lost 6 votes to 14.{{cite news |title=One of world’s smallest parliaments picks premier |url= https://mg.co.za/article/2002-05-02-one-of-worlds-smallest-parliaments-picks-premier/ |access-date=5 November 2021 |work=Mail & Guardian |date=2 May 2002}}
In 2002, Hunukitama and former premier Sani Lakatani visited Baltimore, Maryland to broker a deal with a Korean group called the Christian Ambassador Mission Holy People University that wanted to set up a holy city in Niue that would act as the group's headquarters on 121 hectares of farmland in Vaiea. The facility was planned to house 600 people, construct a temple, and be fully walled and guarded and disallow police access. In addition to meeting with the group, Hunukitama and others in the Niue government conducted background checks for the organization.{{cite news |title=Niue offered key to holy city |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/niue-offered-key-to-holy-city/2YF4RS35S3MD6KSB755AH6BFQU/ |access-date=5 November 2021 |work=The New Zealand Herald |date=19 July 2002}}{{cite news|date=21 November 2002|title=Former Niue Premier Winding Down|work=Pacific Islands Report|agency=Pacific Islands Development Program|url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2002/11/21/former-niue-premier-winding-down|access-date=14 March 2021|via=Niue Economic Review}}
Prior to his election to the assembly, Hunukitama served as the secretary to the premier of Niue.
Business career
Hunukitama was the inaugural chairman of the first Polynesian radio station in Auckland and was a manager of the Auckland Office of Pacific Island Affairs. As of 2001, Hunukitama was the chief executive officer of the Niue Growers Association, which markets taro grown in Niue on the Auckland market.
Death
In July 2003, Hunukitama died at the Lord Liverpool Hospital after he collapsed at the Limu Reef pools. Hunukitama's family filed a formal complaint with the police regarding his treatment at the hospital.{{cite news |title=Concerns expressed over treatment at Niue's hospital |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/145962/concerns-expressed-over-treatment-at-niue's-hospital |access-date=14 March 2021 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=3 November 2003}} The 2003 Niue Common Roll by-election was held in August 2003 to fill Hunukitama's seat in the Niue Assembly. Krypton Okesene defeated five other candidates, including Lofa Rex and Kupa Magatongia, to take the vacant position.{{cite news |title=New common roll member in Niue after by-election |url= https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/145087/new-common-roll-member-in-niue-after-by-election |access-date=11 March 2021 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=1 September 2003}}
References
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Category:Members of the Niue Assembly