Te Tango Raumaire o Avaiki: Cook Islands National Awards Bill 2025 is currently in Parliament and due for a second reading with a Certificate of Urgency.

If passed the Act will establish a national awards system for the Cook Islands that recognises service, excellence, and innovation by acknowledging and celebrating outstanding achievements in fields such as arts, sciences, literature, sports, and humanitarian work, to honour individuals and to inspire others to strive for greatness.

It will foster national pride and unity, celebrating accomplishments that contribute positively to the nation’s development and reputation and by allowing the persons who are honoured to serve as symbols of national achievement and solidarity.

According to the Bill, a selection committee that will assess and screen all who are nominated will be established by the Cabinet.

The Bill was up for its second reading in Parliament yesterday, however, Opposition leader Tina Browne raised that, according to Parliament Standing Orders, the Appropriation Bill 2025-2026 takes precedence over other matters.

“As I understand it, this Bill introduced under Standing Order 171, and under 175, it provides that a Bill with a Certificate of Urgency may be introduced and proceeded at any time, but not so as to interrupt a debate,” Browne told Parliament.

“My attention was again referred to Standing Order 48, which is supposed to justify the introduction of this Bill for its second reading.

 “However, if we refer to Standing Order 219, it is very clear that an Appropriation Bill takes precedence over all business until it is disposed of and it is sat down, each day, as an order of the day, at the commencement of the next sitting.”

Prime Minister Mark Brown said he was under the impression that the members of Opposition were happy to proceed with the second reading of the National Awards Bill.

Brown, the Minister for Finance, said he was happy to continue with the Appropriation Bill at this stage.

He pointed out that Standing Order 49 allows the government to set and organise the business for the day.

Opposition leader Browne indicated that there would be no opposition to the Awards Bill. She added, however, that they must comply with the Standing Orders.