View source for Niue Constitution Act

{{Short description|Fundamental law of Niue}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2013}}
{{infobox legislation
| short_title     = Niue Constitution Act 1974
| legislature     = [[New Zealand Parliament]]
| image          = Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg
| imagesize      = 
| long_title      = An Act to make provision for self-government by the people of Niue, and to provide a constitution for Niue.
| introduced_by   = 
| administered_by = 
| datepassed     = 
| royal_assent    = 29 August 1974
| date_commenced  = 19 October 1974
| amendments     = 
| related        = 
| repeals        = 
| status         = Current
}}
{{Politics of Niue}}

The ''Schedules'' of the '''Niue Constitution Act 1974''' form the [[Constitution]] of [[Niue]]. It stipulates the make-up of the [[executive (government)|executive branch]] of the government, the [[legislature|legislative branch]], and the [[judiciary|judicial branch]]. The Niue Constitution Act 1974 is the supreme law of [[Niue]]; any other Niue law that is inconsistent with the Niue Constitution Act 1974 will be deemed to be invalid.

Its granting by the [[New Zealand]] [[Parliament of New Zealand|Parliament]] in 1974 is celebrated yearly as Niue's independence on "[[Constitution Day]]" on 19 October. The road towards self-government for Niue started with the [[Special Committee on Decolonization|UN Decolonisation Committee]] putting pressure on New Zealand for Niue to decide what form of status Niue wanted. The people of Niue [[1974 Niuean constitutional referendum|voted in 1974]] choosing the self-government option as the best direction for Niue. The Niue Constitution is the legal doctrine that put the wishes of the Niue people for self-government into practice. Self-government allows for Niueans to lead and take charge of their own affairs; this has reduced the number of New Zealand expats working in key Government positions from around 20 in 1974 to none at the moment.

Amendments require a two-thirds majority vote in favour in the second and third readings of the respective constitutional amendment bills in the Assembly, followed by approval by a referendum; amendments to articles 1 (executive authority being vested in the Crown), 35(1)(b)(i) (requirements to amend the constitution) and 69 (appointments to Niue Public Service) require two-thirds of the valid vote in favour in the referendum to be approved, while amendments to other articles require only a majority of the valid vote in favour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paclii.org/nu/legis/num_act/ca1974188/|title=Niue Constitution Act 1974: Section 35|website=Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[1992 Niuean constitutional referendum]]
*[[2024 Niuean constitutional referendum]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{subject bar|auto=y|d=y|Politics|New Zealand}}
* {{cite web |last1=Niue |first1=The Government of |title=The Government of Niue {{!}} Information |url=https://www.gov.nu/information/ |website=www.gov.nu |language=en}}
* [http://www.paclii.org/nu/legis/num_act/ca1974188/ Niue Constitution Act 1974], at Pacific Islands Legal Information Institute
* [https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1974/0042/latest/DLM412778.html Niue Constitution Act 1974], at New Zealand Legislation

{{Oceania in topic|Constitution of}}

[[Category:History of Niue]]
[[Category:Government of Niue]]
[[Category:Constitutions of country subdivisions]]
[[Category:Law of Niue]]
[[Category:Statutes of New Zealand]]
[[Category:1974 in law]]
[[Category:1974 in New Zealand law]]
[[Category:1974 in Niue]]
[[Category:1974 in international relations]]

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