Ngamau Munokoa

Ngamau Mere Munokoa OBE (born 13 August 1944), also known as "Aunty Mau", is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. She was the third woman elected to the Cook Islands Parliament[1] and the first to hold the post of Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister.[2] She is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.

Munokoa was born in Rarotonga and attended Arorangi, Avarua and Nikao Primary schools and Tereora College.[3] She had a career as a businesswoman before being elected to Parliament as MP for Nikao-Panama in a by-election in 1996. From 1999 to 2002 she served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Works in the Cabinet of Sir Terepai Maoate. She later served in the Cabinet of Robert Woonton, and in 2003 was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, becoming the first Cook Islands woman to hold the position.[2] She later resigned from Woonton's Cabinet following his decision to form a coalition with the rival Cook Islands Party,[4] but was reappointed in 2005 by Jim Marurai.[5] She continued to serve in Cabinet, holding various portfolios,[6] until December 2009, when she resigned over the sacking of Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate.[7][8] She was re-elected at the 2010 election.

Munokoa was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Aunty Mau hopes for fifth term". Cook Islands News. 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Cook Islands no confidence motion dropped to avoid confusion". Radio New Zealand International. 2003-11-07. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  3. ↑ "Hon. Ngamau Mere Munokoa". Cook Islands parliament. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  4. ↑ "Cook Islands Democratic party says it has numbers to form next government". Radio New Zealand International. 2004-11-16. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  5. ↑ "Cook Islands PM to appoint two new Cabinet ministers". Radio New Zealand International. 2005-09-14. Retrieved 2009-04-09.
  6. ↑ "Changes announced to Ministries". Cook Islands Herald. Retrieved 2009-04-11.
  7. ↑ "Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout". Radio New Zealand International. 2009-12-24. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  8. ↑ "Cabinet Ministers Resign in Support of Party Leader". Democratic Party - Cook Islands. 2009-12-23. Retrieved 2009-12-25.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 59283. p. 29. 31 December 2009.

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