Atapana Siakimotu ( – 2022) was a

Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...

an politician, diplomat, and public servant. He served as the speaker of the Niuean Assembly between 2002 and 2011.

Biography

Siakimotu was educated at Lincoln College in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, graduating with a diploma in horticulture. He previously worked as principal of Niue High School, director of education, and as consul-general to New Zealand. He was appointed speaker of the assembly after the 2002 election, and was re-appointed in 2005 and 2008. In April 2011, he announced that he would retire at the 2011 election, after serving nine years as speaker. He later served as chair of the Niue Public Service Commission. Siakimotu contested the seat of Avatele in the

2020 Niuean general election General elections were held in Niue on 30 May 2020 for the 20 members of the Niue Assembly. The election resulted in the defeat of Premier Toke Talagi, who lost his seat. Fifteen incumbents were re-elected, including three who were unopposed. I ...

, but was unsuccessful, losing to Poimamao Vakanofiti. Siakimotu accepted the Niue Public Service Medal as part of the 2022 Niue National Awards but died before he could be presented with the award, which was then presented to his family.

References

1948 births 2022 deaths Speakers of the Niue Assembly Members of the Niue Assembly Niuean diplomats Lincoln University (New Zealand) alumni Recipients of the Niue Public Service Medal {{Niue-politician-stub