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Robert Tapaitau
Robert Tapaitau in 2020
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
In office
1 October 2020 [a] – 31 January 2024
Prime Minister Mark Brown
Preceded by Mark Brown
Succeeded by Albert Nicholas
Minister of Energy and Renewable Energy
In office
2 June 2021 [a] – 31 January 2024
Prime Minister Mark Brown
Preceded by Mark Brown
Minister of Outer Islands
In office
2 June 2021 [a] – 31 January 2024
Prime Minister Mark Brown
Preceded by Mark Brown
Minister of Marine Resources
In office
2 June 2021 [a] – 31 January 2024
Prime Minister Mark Brown
Preceded by Mark Brown
Succeeded by Tingika Elikana
Minister of Infrastructure & Planning
In office
10 July 2018 – 6 October 2021
Prime Minister Henry Puna
Mark Brown
Preceded by Teariki Heather
Succeeded by Albert Nicholas
Minister of National Environment Services
In office
20 September 2018 – 6 October 2021
Preceded by Kiriau Turepu
Succeeded by Albert Nicholas
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Penrhyn
In office
14 June 2018 – 31 January 2024
Preceded by Willie John
Succeeded by Sarakura Tapaitau
Personal details
Born10 March 1974
Political partyIndependent

Robert Taimoe Tapaitau (born 10 March 1974) [1] is a former Cook Islands politician, Cabinet Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands who was convicted of fraud and jailed in 2024. He is the son of former Democratic party cabinet minister Tepure Tapaitau. [2]

Tapaitau was born on Rarotonga and educated at Avarua School and Tereora College. [1] He has previously lived in Australia and worked as a builder. [1] He was first elected in the seat of Penrhyn at the 2018 election. [3] Following the election he decided to back the Cook Islands Party government of Henry Puna, and was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Infrastructure, Environmental Services, Transport, and Outer Islands Special Projects. [4] [5]

On 1 October 2020, following the retirement of Henry Puna, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. [6] He retained all his Cabinet portfolios. [7] A further reshuffle in June 2021 saw him gain responsibility for Energy, Renewable Energy, Marine Resources and the Outer islands. [8]

On 7 October 2021 Tapaitau stepped aside as a Minister after being charged with conspiracy to defraud. [9] On 17 May 2022 he was reinstated as Deputy Prime Minister and to most of his portfolios, but stripped of his responsibility for the National Environment Services and Infrastructure Cook Islands to avoid a conflict of interest with his ongoing criminal trial. [10] [11]

He was re-elected at the 2022 Cook Islands general election. [12] He was stripped of his portfolios again on 12 June 2023 when his criminal trial began. [13]

On 31 January 2024 he was convicted of three charges of using a document to obtain a pecuniary advantage and one charge of conspiracy to defraud. [14] [15] He lost his seat in parliament as a result of his conviction, triggering the 2024 Penrhyn by-election. [16] In March 2024 he was sentenced to two years and nine months imprisonment. [17]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Suspended from 6 October 2021 — 17 May 2022

References

  1. ^ a b c "Hon. Robert Taimoe TAPAITAU". Cook Islands Parliament. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ^ Rashneel Kumar (18 June 2018). "Tapaitau ready to be island voice". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Preliminary Results from Votes Counted 14-06-2018". Cook Islands Ministry of Justice. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Brown DPM in new cabinet". Cook Islands News. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Cook Islands Party forms government with crucial help of independents". ABC. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Mark Brown new Cook Islands leader". RNZ. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  7. ^ Emmanuel Samoglou and Rashneel Kumar (8 October 2020). "PM takes on 17 portfolios". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  8. ^ Rashneel Kumar (3 June 2021). "PM announces Cabinet reshuffle". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Deputy Prime Minister 'steps aside'". Cook Islands News. 6 October 2021. Archived from the original on 7 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Cook Islands deputy PM reinstated". RNZ. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Deputy PM Robert Tapaitau reinstated". Cook Islands News. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  12. ^ "WARRANT DECLARING THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AND THE NUMBER OF VOTES RECEIVED BY EACH CANDIDATE" (PDF). Cook Islands Gazette. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  13. ^ Matthew Littlewood (15 June 2023). "PM Brown takes over 'suspended' deputy's ministerial portfolios". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  14. ^ Al Williams (31 January 2024). "Trio guilty in high-profile corruption case". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  15. ^ "Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister and 2 former govt officials found guilty in corruption case". RNZ. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  16. ^ "No person is above the law: Brown". Cook Islands News. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  17. ^ "Former Cook Islands deputy PM Robert Tapaitau jailed for fraud". RNZ. 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
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