Tokelau leader seeks third self-determination vote

The people of Tokelau voted against self-determination.

The week-long referendum saw a total of 692 votes cast, with 446 people in favour of changing the territory's links to New Zealand, and 246 against.

That's only 16 votes short of the two-thirds majority required.

The president of the Tokelauan community in the Hutt Valley in New Zealand, Henry Joseph, has told Radio Australia there should be another vote within two years.

He says next time the rules should be changed so a simple majority can win.

"I'm not happy because after the first one when the leaders came to visit our community here at Hutt Valley we supported their move to make another step forward. And from the feedback they gave us, there seems to be more people supporting the new referendum".