Lara Zijl 
New Zealand has turned down a proposal from the Cook Islands to introduce a separate passport for its citizens while still retaining New Zealand citizenship. The Cook Islands, a self-governing Pacific nation, is in “free association” with New Zealand, which means New Zealand is responsible for the Cook Islands’ foreign affairs and defense. Additionally, Cook Islanders have the right to live, work, and access healthcare in New Zealand.
Prime Minister Mark Brown of the Cook Islands had requested separate passports for Cook Islanders to “recognize our own people.” However, New Zealand has stated that this is not possible unless the Cook Islands becomes fully independent.
Documents first released to local broadcaster 1News and seen by Reuters revealed that Brown had been advocating for separate passports and citizenship for Cook Islanders for months, while still hoping to maintain the Cook Islands’ status as a realm country of New Zealand.
There are nearly 100,000 Cook Islands nationals living in New Zealand, compared to only about 15,000 residing in the Cook Islands. Those who have lived in New Zealand continuously for at least one year are eligible to contest or vote in New Zealand’s elections and referendums.
Reports indicate that tensions between the two countries have been escalating over the issue of separate citizenship, with leaders on both sides engaging in a series of talks in recent months. Prime Minister Brown argued that New Zealanders are allowed to carry dual passports, and that Cook Islanders should be able to do the same.
However, some Cook Islanders have criticized their government for not consulting the public about the proposal. Thomas Wynne, a Cook Island national working in Wellington, expressed concerns about whether the people of the Cook Islands had been consulted on this critical decision or if it would be made by a few individuals on behalf of the many.
Other Cook Island residents voiced worries that such a move could affect their access to services like healthcare in New Zealand.
On Sunday, New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters effectively ended the conversation by announcing that a separate passport and citizenship is only available to fully independent and sovereign countries. He added that any move to change the current relationship between the two countries would require a referendum, allowing the Cook Islands people to carefully consider whether they prefer the status quo with access to New Zealand citizenship and passports, or full independence.
Peters stated that if the goal of the Cook Islands government is independence from New Zealand, then New Zealand is ready for that conversation to be initiated.
According to 1News, Prime Minister Brown later responded to Peters’ statement by saying that the Cook Islands would not implement anything that affects their important status with New Zealand.
Another small Pacific island, Niue, shares a similar relationship with New Zealand, being internally self-governing but relying on Wellington for defense and most foreign affairs. Self-governing territories also exist elsewhere in the world, such as Greenland and the Faroe Islands, which are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Puerto Rico, which is subordinated to the US in defense and foreign affairs.
