Sir Robert Richmond Rex (25 January 190912 December 1992) was the first Premier of the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

island state of

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 ...

Early life and family

Rex was born to parents Leslie Lucas Richmond Rex, a European trader on Niue, and Fisimonomono Tufaina of

Avatele Avatele, formerly known as Oneonepata Matavaihala, is one of the fourteen villages of Niue, located on the southwest coast, with a population of 143 residents as of 2017. Geography Avatele Beach, the village's main sea track, stretches along the ...

Village in the south of Niue. He later settled down in Alofi, the capital of Niue, with his wife of that village,

Patricia Rex Tuagatagaloa Patricia Rex, Lady Rex (née Vatolo; 1918 – 21 January 2004) was a Niuean politician. The wife of Niue's first Premier Robert Rex, she was jointly one of the first women elected to the Niue Assembly. She also designed the flag of ...

, (1918–2004). Rex was the great uncle of the rugby player Frank Bunce.

Political career

Rex was Premier of Niue from its establishment as a self-governing territory on 19 October 1974 until his death in 1992. Upon his death in office, he was succeeded by Mititaiagimene

Young Vivian Mititaiagimene Young Vivian is a Niuean politician and diplomat, who served as Premier of Niue twice, the first time from December 1992 to March 1993 following the death of Sir Robert Rex, and the second from 2002 to 2008. He also served as a ...

, until General Elections the following year resulted in the election of Frank Fakaotimanava Lui into office. Having served 18 years in office, he is Niue's longest serving Premier. Although Rex was opposed to party politics on Niue, he was supported by the Niue People's Action Party after its formation in 1987. During his almost two decades in office, Rex held virtually all Government ministerial portfolios from time to time. His Cabinet of Ministers included prominent Niuean figures such as Dr

Enetama Lipitoa Enetama Lipi is a former politician from Niue. He was an Assemblyman for Namukulu when he was elected into the Niue Legislative Assembly and was appointed to the Executive Council following the 1972 election.Young Vivian Mititaiagimene Young Vivian is a Niuean politician and diplomat, who served as Premier of Niue twice, the first time from December 1992 to March 1993 following the death of Sir Robert Rex, and the second from 2002 to 2008. He also served as a ...

and Frank Fakaotimanava Lui, the latter two also going on to become Premiers of Niue.

Honours

In the

1973 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1973 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1973 to celebra ...

, Rex was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for valuable services to the people of Niue. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1977 Queen's Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours. Rex was the first Niuean to receive a knighthood, being appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the

1984 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1984 were appointments by most of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and honorary ones to citizens of other countri ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rex, Robert 1909 births 1992 deaths Premiers of Niue Members of the Niue Assembly Niue People's Party politicians New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Niuean knights 20th-century New Zealand politicians