PNG international rugby league footballer & politician
Lauta Atoi (born 1962) is a Papua New Guinean politician and rugby league player. He was a People's National Congress member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2011 to 2017, representing the electorate of North Bougainville Open . His name is sometimes spelled as Louta Atoi .[ 2] [ 3]
Atoi was educated at Tasman Primary School and Hutjena High School in Bougainville . He was a successful rugby league player, becoming a prominent member of the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team , and becoming the first Papua New Guinean to play rugby league in Australia, with the Redcliffe Dolphins . He subsequently became a businessman in Buka , managing Bougainville Sea Transit and Nukumanu Marine.[ 2] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
He was elected to the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea at a 2011 by-election to replace Michael Ogio , who had been appointed Governor-General of Papua New Guinea ; in doing so, Atoi became the first MP from the atoll communities off the Bougainville coast.[ 8] [ 9] He was reported to have joined the Papua New Guinea Party in April 2012, but was re-elected for the People's National Congress amid some confusion in July.[ 10] [ 11] He supported the Belden Namah -led opposition for several months after the election, but returned to the government in July 2013, claiming he had continued to be a PNC member throughout.[ 12]
He was defeated by William Nakin at the 2017 election .[ 13]
References
^ Lauta Atoi rugbyleagueproject.org
^ a b "Hon. Louta Atoi, MP" . National Parliament of Papua New Guinea. Retrieved 6 March 2017 .
^ "Nominations By Electorate" (PDF) . PNG Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017 .
^ "Medics stranded". PNG Post Courier . 24 February 2005.
^ "Calls to support Atoll candidate". PNG Post Courier . 4 April 2011.
^ "MV Sankamap sale into storm". PNG Post Courier . 1 August 2012.
^ "Party endorses Hamao". PNG Post Courier . 23 March 2011.
^ "Atoll man's win a first". PNG Post-Courier . 1 June 2011.
^ "Atoi calls for support". PNG Post Courier . 20 June 2011.
^ "Deputy PM confident with Party". PNG Post Courier . 27 April 2012.
^ "Namah eyes top post". PNG Post Courier . 25 July 2012.
^ "Atoi returns to People's National Congress party, government". PNG Post Courier . 5 July 2013.
^ "Nakin wins North Bougainville seat" . PNG Post-Courier . 24 July 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017 .