As Premier he was elected in June of 2008 on the 19th and he continued to progress relations with China and also negotiated with New Zealand for greater control of aid funding with those negotiations, which were successful. He was a major driver developing policies that would develop Niue as a greater economic independence power within the Pacific region. He was knighted in 2017 in the New Year honours for his investiture over here in Niue and also too in New Zealand, and for his support.