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The Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the second most senior officer in the government of the Cook Islands. From 1965 to 1981, the position was called the Deputy Premier. When the office of Premier was renamed to Prime Minister in 1981, the Deputy Premier became the Deputy Prime Minister.
Cook Islands Democratic New Alliance Independent
| No. | Name | Term start | Term end | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manea Tamarua | 1965 | 1967 [1] | Cook Islands Party |
| 2 | Tiakana Numanga | 1974 | 1977 [2] | Cook Islands Party |
| 3 | Apenera Short | 1974 | 1978 [2] | Cook Islands Party |
| 4 | Pupuke Robati | 25 July 1978 | 13 April 1983 | Democratic Party |
| 5 | Geoffrey Henry | 16 November 1983 | 1985 | Cook Islands Party |
| 6 | Terepai Maoate | 1985 | 1 February 1989 | Democratic Party |
| 7 | Inatio Akaruru | 1 February 1989 | 1999 | Cook Islands Party |
| 8 | Norman George | June 1999 | October 1999 | New Alliance Party |
| 9 | Tupou Faireka | 16 November 1999 | 18 November 1999 | Cook Islands Party |
| (8) | Norman George | 1 December 1999 | July 2001 | New Alliance Party |
| 10 | Robert Woonton | July 2001 | 11 February 2002 | Democratic Party |
| (5) | Geoffrey Henry | 11 February 2002 | 30 January 2003 | Cook Islands Party |
| (6) | Terepai Maoate | 30 January 2003 | 5 November 2003 | Democratic Party |
| 11 | Ngamau Munokoa | 5 November 2003 | 19 November 2004 | Democratic Party |
| (5) | Geoffrey Henry | 19 November 2004 | 9 August 2005 | Cook Islands Party |
| (6) | Terepai Maoate | 9 August 2005 | 23 December 2009 | Democratic Party |
| 12 | Robert Wigmore | 23 December 2009 | 30 November 2010 | Democratic Party |
| 13 | Tom Marsters | 2 December 2010 | 10 June 2013 | Cook Islands Party |
| 14 | Teariki Heather | 11 December 2013 | 14 June 2018 | Cook Islands Party |
| 15 | Mark Brown | 14 June 2018 | 1 October 2020 | Cook Islands Party |
| 16 | Robert Tapaitau | 1 October 2020 | 31 January 2024 | Independent |
| 17 | Albert Nicholas | 16 February 2024 | Incumbent | Cook Islands Party |
The Cook Islands are named after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777, although Spanish navigator Alvaro de Mendaña was the first European to reach the islands in 1595. The Cook Islands became aligned to the United Kingdom in 1890, largely because of the fear of British residents that France might occupy the islands as it already had Tahiti.
The politics of the Cook Islands takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy. The Monarch of New Zealand, represented in the Cook Islands by the King or Queen's Representative, was the Head of State; the prime minister is the head of government of a multi-party system. The nation is self-governing and are fully responsible for internal and foreign affairs. Since 2001, the Cook Islands has run its own foreign and defence policy. Executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the islands' parliament. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislatures.
The prime minister of the Cook Islands is the head of government of the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The office was established in 1965, when self-government was first granted to the islands. Originally, the title "Premier" was used, but this was replaced by the title of "Prime Minister" in 1981.
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.
The Democratic Party is a political party in the Cook Islands. As a result of the 2022 Cook Islands election, it is currently in opposition, holding five seats in the Cook Islands Parliament.
Sir Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis was a Cook Islands statesman and medical researcher. He served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 1978 to March 1983, and again from November 1983 to July 1987. He also worked as a medical officer, and as a medical researcher for the US Army and NASA. He was a founder of the Cook Islands Voyaging Society and constructed and voyaged in several replica vaka, including Tākitumu and Te Au o Tonga.
The Cook Islands are a constitutional monarchy within the Realm of New Zealand. Under the Cook Islands Constitution, the Sovereign in Right of New Zealand has been Head of State of the Cook Islands since 4 August 1965. The Sovereign is represented by the King's Representative; as such, the King is the de jure head of state, holding several powers that are his alone, while the King's Representative is sometimes referred to as the de facto head of state. The viceregal position is currently held by Tom Marsters.
The House of Ariki is a parliamentary body in the Cook Islands. It is composed of Cook Islands high chiefs (ariki), appointed by the King's Representative. While it functions in a similar way to the House of Lords and the Senate of Canada, the country's parliament is officially unicameral. There are up to twenty-four members, representing different islands of the Cooks.
Philip Edward "Brave" Davis is a Bahamian politician serving as the prime minister of the Bahamas since 2021. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador from 1992 to 1997 and returned to the seat in May 2002, which he still represents.
Norman George is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 2 November 1983. The result was a victory for the Democratic Party, which won 13 of the 24 seats. A coalition government was formed with the opposition Cook Islands Party, with Democratic Party leader Thomas Davis as Prime Minister and CIP leader Geoffrey Henry as Deputy Prime Minister. Henry was later replaced with Terepai Maoate.
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 30 March 1978 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party (CIP) of Premier Albert Henry, which won 15 of the 22 seats. The Democratic Party won the remaining seven seats.
Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He was a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.
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.
Robert George Wigmore was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party from 2010 – 2012, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2009 to 2010. He served as a Minister in the Cabinets of Robert Woonton and Jim Marurai.
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.
Sir Pupuke Robati, KBE was a Cook Island politician. He served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989.
Mark Stephen Brown 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.
Tiakana Numanga was a Cook Islands politician. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly between 1965 and his death and held several ministerial portfolios, including being Deputy Premier.