26 Facts About Young Vivian

Young Vivian served as a Cabinet Minister multiple times, first as Minister of Education, Economic Development and Agriculture and later as Minister of Finance under Robert Rex, and in the Cabinet of Sani Lakatani.

Young Vivian was educated at St George's Preparatory School in Wanganui from 1949, and then Wanganui Collegiate School as a boarder between 1951 and 1954.

Young Vivian then took a course on the teaching of English as a second language at Victoria University of Wellington, and returned again to Niue in 1969.

Young Vivian was first elected to the Niue Assembly in the 1969 general election and appointed to the Executive Council, serving as Member of Education in Robert Rex's pre-independence government.

Young Vivian was re-elected at the 1972 election, and was part of the team which negotiated Niue's independence.

Young Vivian was re-elected at the 1975 election and reappointed as Minister for Education, Agriculture, and Economic Development, but lost the Tourism portfolio to Frank Lui.

In 1978, Young Vivian was elected Secretary-General of the South Pacific Commission, giving up his position as a Minister to take the job.

Young Vivian served in the role from 1979 to 1982, after which he worked as a cultural officer for the Niuean Government.

Young Vivian was re-elected in the 1987 election, and became leader of the new Niue People's Action Party.

Less than six months later Lakatani was sacked from Cabinet after attempting to oust Rex, and Young Vivian was appointed as Minister of Finance, Education, and Administration in his place.

Young Vivian later served as acting Premier during Rex's illness, and following his death in December 1992, was elected Premier.

Young Vivian was re-elected to the Assembly at the 1993 election, but lost the Premiership to Frank Lui 11 votes to 9.

The deadlock was finally broken when Young Vivian agreed that the NPP would support the government's budget in an effort to avoid an early election.

Young Vivian was re-elected unopposed at the 1996 election, but did not stand for Premier.

Young Vivian was appointed to Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education.

Young Vivian was returned unopposed at the 2002 election and elected leader of the NPP in place of Lakatani.

Young Vivian was elected premier, defeating Hunukitama Hunuki by 14 votes to 6.

Young Vivian appointed Lakatani as his Deputy, but fired him just three months later after he voted against the budget.

Young Vivian was again re-elected unopposed in the 2005 election and re-elected Premier, defeating O'Love Jacobsen 17 votes to 3.

New Zealand provided funds for a bailout, but Young Vivian's government cut public services and imposed user-pays charges to balance the books.

Young Vivian was accused of economic mismanagement, but survived a confidence vote.

Young Vivian was again re-elected unopposed to Parliament in the 2008 elections, but lost the Premiership to Toke Talagi, who won fourteen votes to Vivian's five, and one abstaining.

At the 2020 general election, Young Vivian stood for election to one of the six common roll seats, but was unsuccessful.

In December 2021, Young Vivian was evacuated by air ambulance from Niue to New Zealand for medical treatment.

At the inaugural Niue National Awards in 2020, Young Vivian was awarded the Niue Distinguished Service Cross.

Young Vivian was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2023 New Year Honours, for services to Niue.