Niki Rattle


Niki Rattle is the Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament since 22 May 2012.
Rattle was born in Manihiki. She is a Registered Nurse. Since 1993, she has served as Secretary of the Cook Islands Red Cross for about 20 years. She was appointed Speaker by Prime Minister Henry Puna on 22 May 2012.

Career

Her appointment was criticised by the opposition, who felt that an elected MP should have filled the position. She was reappointed Speaker in 2014. She is in charge for ensuring the functions of parliament in accordance with the principals of the constitution, and the standing orders and procedures of parliament. Rattle stands for gender equality in parliament, as she was a President of the National Council of Women, President of the Women’s Counselling Centre before her appointment as a Speaker of Parliament. Rattle participated in the first Women's Practice Parliament in the Cook Islands in 2015 and again in 2017, and she introduced the roles and responsibilities of being a Member of Parliament to the women. She is actively engaged in the work of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Group.