The Overseas Constituency came into being in 1981 to avoid a repeat of the 'fly-in-voter' crisis of 1978 in which a foreign investor funded free flights for anyone who would fly back and vote for the party he supported. The fly-in voters decided the election, until later disallowed by the High Court.

There are currently about 80,000 Cook Islanders living overseas, over 50,000 in New Zealand, about half that number in Australia and thousands more in French Polynesia, the Americas, Europe, Asia and elsewhere but only 20,407 citizens resides on the islands. In the 1994 election only 569 Cook Islanders abroad voted.

But a recent survey on the main island of Rarotonga on the need for an overseas constituency revealed strong support in the community for the seat to be abolished. The seat which represents Cook Islanders living overseas, is currently held by former Prime Minister, Dr Joe Williams, who resides mostly in New Zealand. Many of those polled said the seat was a waste of time and money.

Source: Cook Islands News and ABC News 18. september 2002