17th Cook Islands Parliament

The 17th Cook Islands Parliament is a previous term of the Parliament of the Cook Islands. Its composition was determined by the 2018 elections on 14 June 2018.

Officeholders

Presiding officers

• Speaker of the House:
• Tai Tura (Cook Islands Party) from March 2021
• Niki Rattle until 15 February 2021
• Deputy Speaker of the House:
• Tai Tura (Cook Islands Party) from April 2019 until March 2021

Other parliamentary officers

• Clerk:
• Tangata Vainerere, from April 2021
• Jeannine Daniel, acting clerk from March 2020 until April 2021
• Tangata Vainerere, from October 2018 until March 2020
• Helen Maunga, acting clerk from August 2018 to October 2018
• Pastor John Tangi, until 1 August 2018
• Deputy Clerk:
• Tai Manavaroa, from April 2021
• Jeannine Daniel, from November 2019 until March 2020
• Helen Maunga, until November 2019

Party leaders

• Prime Minister:
• Hon. Mark Brown (Cook Islands Party) from 1 October 2020
• Hon. Henry Puna (Cook Islands Party) until 1 October 2020
• Deputy Prime Minister:
• Hon. Robert Tapaitau (Independent) from 1 October 2020
• Hon. Mark Brown (Cook Islands Party) until 1 October 2020
• Leader of the Opposition: Tina Browne (Democratic Party)

Members

Initial party standings

Initial MPs

Summary of changes

• Toka Hagai resigned on 1 November 2018 after allegations of treating. In December 2018 the Court of Appeal ruled that Tina Browne had won the seat.
• Tony Armstrong died in November 2018. A by-election for the vacant Ivirua seat was held on 21 January 2019, and was won by Agnes Armstrong.
• Te-Hani Brown resigned from the Democratic party to support the government in January 2019. She was subsequently re-elected in a by-election.
• Henry Puna resigned on 24 March 2021 to take up the position of Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Akaiti Puna was elected in the resulting by-election.

References