Kete Ioane (born 30 October 1950) is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.
Ioane was born in Amuri on the island of Aitutaki. He attended Amuri and Araura Primary school and Aitutaki Junior High School. He has a long career as a public servant, first in the Agriculture Department, later in the Police Department.[1] He was first elected to Parliament as member for the Vaipeka-Vaipae-Tautu electorate in the 1999 elections.
From 1999 to 2005 Ioane served as party whip. Shortly before the 2006 election he was appointed to Cabinet. His appointment later became the subject of an electoral petition, as rival Cook Islands Party candidate George Pitt claimed it had been made solely to provide Ioane with extra campaign funds.[2] The petition was ultimately rejected, but Prime Minister Jim Marurai was criticised by the Chief Justice over the appointment.[3]
Ioane held the portfolios of Minister for the Environment, Justice, and Parliamentary Services[4] until he resigned them in December 2009 in protest at the sacking from Cabinet of Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate.[5][6]
Ioane failed to win re-election in the 2010 elections.