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.[ citation needed ]
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]
In mid October 2024,Brown advocated the introduction of a separate Cook Islands passport during the 53rd session of the House of Ariki Annual General Meeting but declined to explain whether this would affect the New Zealand citizenship status of Cook Islanders. [19] In response,New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters questioned whether the people of the Cook Islands supported Brown and other politicians' proposal for a separate Cook Islands passport,warning of its implications for the territory's status as an associated state. Brown responded that the Cook Islands passport proposal would not affect the territory's constitutional relationship with New Zealand. Tuaine Unuia,the Clerk of the House of Ariki,said that the House supported Brown's proposal. [20]
On 23 December,the office of Foreign Minister Peters clarified that the Cook Islands would not be able to have its own passport,citizenship and United Nations membership without becoming an independent country. Any changes to the territory's constitutional relationship with New Zealand would have to be decided by the Cook Islanders via a referendum. [21] [22] According to BBC News,several Cook Islanders residing in New Zealand questioned whether Brown and the Cook Islands government had consulted the public over the proposal and expressed concern that any possible change to the Cook Island's sovereignty would affect their access to healthcare and other services in New Zealand. [22]
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.
Jim Marurai was a Cook Islands politician who served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was a member of the Democratic Party.
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.
Tangata Mouauri Vavia is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.
Nandi Tuaine Glassie was a Cook Islands politician who served as a Cabinet Minister. He was a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Cook Islanders are residents of the Cook Islands,which is composed of 15 islands and atolls in Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean. Cook Islands Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Cook Islands,although more Cook Islands Māori currently reside in New Zealand than the Cook Islands. Originating from Tahitian settlers in the sixth century,the Cook Islands Māori bear cultural affinities with New Zealand Māori and Tahitian Mā'ohi,although they also exhibit a unique culture and developed their own language,which is currently recognized as one of two official languages in the Cook Islands,according to the Te Reo Maori Act of 2003.
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. He most recently served as the secretary-general of the Pacific Islands Forum from May of 2021 to 2024. 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.
George Maggie Angene is a Cook Islands politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a former member of the Cook Islands Party,and is now a member of the One Cook Islands Movement.
Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown is a Cook Islands politician,and Cabinet Minister. In July 2016 she became the Cook Islands' first female Leader of the Opposition.
Albert Taaviri Kaitara Nicholas is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party. He is the son of former MP Albert (Peto) Nicholas.
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.
Vaine Makiroa Mokoroa is a Cook Islands politician and Cabinet Minister. 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.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 1 August 2022. A referendum on legalising medical cannabis was held on the same day.