Mark Brown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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12th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assumed office 1 October 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Robert Tapaitau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
King's Representative | Tom Marsters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Henry Puna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 14 June 2018 –1 October 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | Henry Puna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Teariki Heather | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Robert Tapaitau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Avarua,Cook Islands | 28 February 1963||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Cook Islands Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Massey University University of the South Pacific | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mark Stephen Brown (born 28 February 1963) is a Cook Islands politician and Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He had previously served as Deputy Prime Minister under Henry Puna. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Brown was born in 1963 [1] in Avarua on Rarotonga,and educated at Nikao Maori School,Nikao Side School,Tereora College and Gisborne Boys' High School in New Zealand. [2] He holds a Diploma in Public Sector Management from Massey University in New Zealand and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of the South Pacific. [2] He has worked as a public servant,including as a policy advisor for the Prime Minister's Office and as head of the Ministry of Agriculture,and as a property developer. [2] He has served as Vice-President of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce,and President of the Cook Islands Touch Association.
Brown is currently vice-president of the CIP. [3] He unsuccessfully contested the electorate of Takuvaine–Tutakimoa in the 2006 elections,but was elected at the 2010 election.
Brown was appointed to Cabinet in December 2010 as finance minister. [4] [5] He was re-elected at the 2014 election,and again in 2018. Following the 2018 election he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister,replacing Teariki Heather. [6]
In December 2019 a private prosecution for fraud was lodged against Brown and Prime Minister Henry Puna,alleging that a government-chartered aircraft had been misused. [7] In March 2021 the charges were dismissed by the High Court. [8]
In June 2020 Prime Minister Henry Puna announced his intention to stand down in September in order to compete for the role of Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum. [9] He nominated Brown as his replacement. On 1 October,following the retirement of Henry Puna,he was elected Prime Minister. [10] He retained almost all of his and Puna's portfolios in his initial Cabinet,surrendering only Education and Tourism to other Ministers. [11] He plans to re-allocate major portfolios such as Finance and Foreign Affairs to other Ministers in 2021. [12]
In mid-December 2020,Prime Minister Brown and his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern announced that a travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands would be established next year,facilitating two-way quarantine-free travel between the two countries. [13]
A cabinet reshuffle on 2 June 2021 saw him distribute half his portfolios to other Ministers. [14]
He was re-elected at the 2022 election and reappointed Prime Minister after securing the support of two independents. [15] [16] [17]
In early February 2024,Brown advocated a trilateral defence and security co-operation arrangement between the Cook Islands,New Zealand,and Australia. This proposed agreement would supplement the Cook Islands' existing defence and security arrangements with New Zealand. [18]
Robert Woonton is a Cook Islands politician and diplomat. He served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 11 February 2002 until 11 December 2004,and later as High Commissioner to New Zealand. He was a member of the centrist Democratic Party.
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Norman George is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament,Deputy Prime Minister,and Cabinet Minister.
Ngamau Mere Munokoa,also known as "Aunty Mau",is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. She was the third woman ever elected to the Cook Islands Parliament,the second appointed to Cabinet,and the first to hold the post of Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister. She is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.
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Teariki William Heather is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet minister who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2013 to 2018. Previously a member of the Cook Islands Party,he is now the leader of the Cook Islands United Party.
Sir Tom John Marsters,is the current King's Representative to the Cook Islands. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands,Foreign Minister,and Deputy Leader of the Cook Islands Party.
Henry Tuakeu Puna is a Cook Islands politician,and the current secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum. He was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from November 2010 to October 2020. Since 2006 he has been leader of the Cook Islands Party.
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Te-Hani Rose Alexandra Brown is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament. She is an independent.
Robert Taimoe Tapaitau is a former Cook Islands politician,Cabinet Minister,and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands who was convicted of fraud and jailed in 2024. He is the son of former Democratic party cabinet minister Tepure Tapaitau.
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Patrick Arioka is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a former member of the Cook Islands Parliament,representing the seat of Murienua. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Tingika Elikana is a Cook Islands civil servant,politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Toka Hagai is a Cook Islands politician and former member of the Cook Islands Parliament. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Events in the year 2020 in the Cook Islands.
Akaitiiti O Te Rangi Puna is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament. She is a member of the Cook Islands Party. She is married to the former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna and the sister of MP Tukaka Ama.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 August 2022. A referendum on legalising medical cannabis was held on the same day.