Robert Woonton (born 1949) is a

Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...

politician and diplomat. He served as

Prime Minister of the Cook Islands The prime minister of the Cook Islands is the head of government of the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in Associated state, free association with New Zealand. The office was established in 1965, when Hi ...

from 11 February 2002 until 11 December 2004, and later as High Commissioner to New Zealand. He was a member of the

centrist Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to the l ...

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. Woonton trained as a medical doctor. He was first elected to the Cook Islands Parliament at the 1994 election. He was re-elected at the 1999 election. Following the premiership of Joe Williams, he was appointed to the Cabinet of

Terepai Maoate Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate (1 September 1934 – 9 July 2012) 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. Maoate was born in Rarotonga on 1 September ...

as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Transport. In February 2001 he was removed as Transport Minister, but retained his Foreign Affairs portfolio. In July 2001, following the sacking of

Norman George Norman George (born 2 July 1946) is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister. George was first elected to the Parliament of the Cook Islands in 1983. He represented ...

, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

Prime Minister

In February 2002 Woonton resigned his portfolios and tabled a motion of no confidence against Maoate. The motion failed, and Woonton returned to the government. Three days later, Maoate resigned after losing a second confidence vote, and Woonton became Prime Minister. Woonton's premiership was beset by chaos and allegations of corruption. In May 2002, shortly after taking office, he was cleared of bribery allegations over claims he had approved the use of public money to fly an independent MP and his wife to New Zealand so she could receive medical treatment. In September 2002 he threatened to deport the publisher of the ''Cook Islands Independent'' after it published a story alleging he had used public money to purchase furniture for his private residence. In November 2002 he sacked Justice Minister

, formed a new coalition with both the Democratic Party and Cook Islands Party, and promised early elections. A few months later in January 2003 he sacked Deputy Prime Minister

Geoffrey Henry Sir Geoffrey Arama Henry (16 November 1940 – 9 May 2012) was a Cook Island politician who was twice the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was leader of the Cook Islands Party (CIP) from 1979 to 2006. Early life Henry was a native of A ...

, replacing him with Democratic leader

. In November 2003 Maoate in turn resigned after he tabled a motion of no confidence in the government. Later that month Woonton was officially elected leader of the Democratic Party, replacing Maoate. He was replaced again by Maoate in May 2004. In December 2003 Woonton's government faced allegations that it was selling residency, after it granted residency to convicted New Zealand businessman Mark Lyon in exchange for a $150,000 bond. Lyon was later banned from the Cook Islands, and Woonton attempted to sue those critical of the decision to allow him in for defamation. In May 2004 he made a state visit to China, in which he accepted US$2.5 million in aid in exchange for recognising that

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

was part of China. When the ''Cook Islands Herald'' published a satirical letter questioning this change in policy, Woonton attempted to have them prosecuted for

criminal libel Criminal libel is a legal term, of English origin, which may be used with one of two distinct meanings, in those common law jurisdictions where it is still used. It is an alternative name for the common law offence which is also known (in order ...

. Shortly afterward he dissolved Parliament for the election. At the 2004 election Woonton's government retained its majority, but Woonton was nearly defeated. While awaiting the result of electoral petitions, Woonton announced a new coalition with the

Cook Islands Party The Cook Islands Party is a nationalist political party in the Cook Islands. It was the first political party founded in the Cook Islands, and one of the two major parties of the islands' politics since 1965. From 1999 until 2005 it sometimes ...

. He was subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party and formed his own party, the Demo Party Tumu (later known as Cook Islands First). On 12 December 2004 a recount found that the result in Woonton's electorate of Manihiki was a tie. Woonton resigned as Prime Minister, and was replaced by

Jim Marurai Jim Marurai (9 July 1947 – November 2020) was a Cook Islands politician who served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Personal life Marurai was born in Ivirua, Mangaia. He attended Ivirua and O ...

. He did not contest the resulting 2005 Manihiki by-election. Following the election, the

Cook Islands Court of Appeal The Court of Appeal of the Cook Islands is the superior court of record for the Cook Islands. It hears appeals from the High Court of the Cook Islands and was established by Article 56 of the Constitution of the Cook Islands. Composition and ...

ruled that Woonton's Cabinet had bribed voters in the electorate of

Titikaveka Titikaveka is one of the five districts that make up the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It is located in the south of the island, to the south of the districts of Ngatangiia Ngatangiia is one of the five districts that make up the is ...

in an effort to secure the election of Cabinet Minister

Robert Wigmore Robert George Wigmore (8 September 1949 – 13 April 2012) was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party from 2010 - 2012, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2009 - 2010. He served as a Minister in the Cabinets of Robert Wo ...

Post-political career

In early 2005 Woonton was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand, replacing Tom Davis. He was sacked in March 2006, following accusations that he was plotting with members of parliament to end Marurai's government. Shortly after being sacked he joined a Wellington-based development firm which planned to build a new private hospital on

Rarotonga Rarotonga is the largest and most populous of the Cook Islands. The island is volcanic, with an area of , and is home to almost 75% of the country's population, with 13,007 of a total population of 17,434. The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings a ...

. He now works as a doctor in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

. In 2011 he was appointed to the

Auckland Council Auckland Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau) is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is ...

's inaugural Pacific People's Advisory Panel.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woonton, Robert 1949 births Living people Prime Ministers of the Cook Islands Deputy Prime Ministers of the Cook Islands Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands High Commissioners of the Cook Islands to New Zealand Democratic Party (Cook Islands) politicians Cook Islands First Party politicians Cook Island medical doctors Cook Island emigrants to New Zealand Foreign Ministers of the Cook Islands University of Auckland alumni