Ngamau Munokoa

Who is Ngamau Munokoa?

Ngamau Mere Munokoa OBE, 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 and the first to hold the post of Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister. 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. 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. She later resigned from Woonton's Cabinet following his decision to form a coalition with the rival Cook Islands Party, but was reappointed in 2005 by Jim Marurai. She continued to serve in Cabinet, holding various portfolios, until December 2009, when she resigned over the sacking of Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate. She was re-elected at the 2010 election.

Munokoa was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 New Year Honours.