Mark Brown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Brown in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 October 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | Robert Tapaitau (2020-2024) Albert Nicholas (2024-present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| King's Representative | Tom Marsters | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Henry Puna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 June 2018 – 1 October 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Henry Puna | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Teariki Heather | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Robert Tapaitau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1963-02-28)28 February 1963 (age 62) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Cook Islands Party | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Massey University University of the South Pacific | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mark Stephen Brown (born 28 February 1963) is aCook Islands politician andPrime Minister of the Cook Islands. He previously served as Deputy Prime Minister underHenry Puna. He is a member of theCook Islands Party.
Brown was born in 1963[1] inAvarua onRarotonga, and educated at Nikao Maori School, Nikao Side School,Tereora College andGisborne Boys' High School in New Zealand.[2] He holds a Diploma in Public Sector Management fromMassey University in New Zealand and a Masters in Business Administration from theUniversity of the South Pacific.[2] He has worked as a public servant, including as a policy advisor for the Prime Minister's Office and as head of the Ministry of Agriculture, and as a property developer.[2] He has served as Vice-President of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Cook Islands Touch Association.
Brown unsuccessfully contested the electorate ofTakuvaine–Tutakimoa in the2006 election. He was vice-president of the Cook Islands Party in 2010[3] and was elected for Takuvaine–Tutakimoa in the2010 election.[4]
Brown was appointed to Cabinet in December 2010 as finance minister.[5][6] He was re-elected at the2014 election, and again in 2018. Following the2018 election he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, replacingTeariki Heather.[7]
In December 2019 a private prosecution for fraud was lodged against Brown and Prime MinisterHenry Puna, alleging that a government-chartered aircraft had been misused.[8] In March 2021 the charges were dismissed by the High Court.[9]
In June 2020 Prime MinisterHenry Puna announced his intention to stand down in September in order to compete for the role of Secretary-General of thePacific Islands Forum.[10] He nominated Brown as his replacement. On 1 October, following the retirement ofHenry Puna, he was elected Prime Minister.[11] He retained almost all of his and Puna's portfolios in his initial Cabinet, surrendering only Education and Tourism to other Ministers.[12] He plans to re-allocate major portfolios such as Finance and Foreign Affairs to other Ministers in 2021.[13]
In mid-December 2020, Prime Minister Brown and hisNew Zealand counterpartJacinda Ardern announced that a travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands would be established next year, facilitating two-way quarantine-free travel between the two countries.[14]
A cabinet reshuffle on 2 June 2021 saw him distribute half his portfolios to other Ministers.[15]
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He was re-elected at the2022 election and reappointed Prime Minister after securing the support of two independents.[16][17][18]
In early February 2024, Brown advocated a trilateral defence and security co-operation arrangement between the Cook Islands, New Zealand, and Australia. This proposed agreement would supplement the Cook Islands' existing defence and security arrangements with New Zealand.[19]
In mid October 2024, Brown advocated the introduction of a separate Cook Islands passport during the 53rd session of the House of Ariki Annual General Meeting but declined to explain whether this would affect theNew Zealand citizenship status ofCook Islanders.[20] In response,New Zealand Foreign MinisterWinston Peters questioned whether the people of the Cook Islands supported Brown and other politicians' proposal for a separate Cook Islands passport, warning of its implications for the territory's status as an associated state. Brown responded that the Cook Islands passport proposal would not affect the territory's constitutional relationship with New Zealand. Tuaine Unuia, the Clerk of the House of Ariki, said that the House supported Brown's proposal.[21]
On 23 December, the office of Foreign Minister Peters clarified that the Cook Islands would not be able to have its own passport, citizenship andUnited Nations membership without becoming an independent country. Any changes to the territory'sconstitutional relationship with New Zealand would have to be decided by the Cook Islanders via a referendum.[22][23] According toBBC News, several Cook Islanders residing in New Zealand questioned whether Brown and the Cook Islands government had consulted the public over the proposal and expressed concern that any possible change to the Cook Island's sovereignty would affect their access to healthcare and other services in New Zealand.[23] On 6 February 2025, Brown formally abandoned the Cook Islands passport proposal in the face of strident opposition from the New Zealand government, stating "We don't want to jeopardise our people and the safety and security of Cook Islanders. We will now put this onto the back burner."[24]
In early February 2025, Brown confirmed that he would undertake a five day visit to China between 10 and 14 February to sign a "Joint Action Plan for Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" with the Chinese government. The partnership agreement was criticised by New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, who said that Brown and the Cook Islands government had not consulted New Zealand on the matter. Due to thefree association relationship between New Zealand and Cook Islands, New Zealand has oversight over the island state's foreign affairs and defence.[25][26] In response to criticism, Brown said that the partnership agreement did not involve security and defence issues, stating "there is no need for New Zealand to sit in the room with us while we are going through our comprehensive agreement with China. We have advised them on the matter, but as far as being consulted and to the level of detail that they were requiring, I think that's not a requirement."[27][26]
The Chinese Embassy in Wellington andChinese Foreign Ministry spokespersonGuo Jiakun issued statements defending bilateral relations between China and the Cook Islands, and warning third parties not to interfere with that relationship.[28][29] On 12 February,Cook Islands Foreign MinisterTingika Elikana reiterated theCook Islands Cabinet's support for Brown's leadership and the partnership agreement with China.[30]
On 14 February, Brown and the Cook Islands delegation ratified a strategic partnership agreement with China.[31] Following the agreement, Brown said that the Cook Islands' partnership agreement with China "complements, not replaces" its relationship with New Zealand.[32] In response, Peters' office stated that the New Zealand government would be considering the agreement carefully in light of its interests and constitutional relationship with the Cook Islands.[31] The partnership agreement was criticised by former New Zealand Prime MinisterHelen Clark, who said that Brown "seems to have signed behind the backs of his own people as well as of New Zealand."[33]
On 17 February, 400 protesters led byCook Islands United Party leaderTeariki Heather protested against Brown's passport proposal and Chinese partnership agreement during the opening of theCook Islands Parliament.[34] On 26 February, Heather lodged amotion of no confidence against Brown in the Cook Islands Parliament.[35] The motion failed by a margin of 13 to 9 votes. In response Brown criticised New Zealand for allegedly spreading disinformation, stating:
This is not about consultation. This is about control. We cannot compete with New Zealand. When their one-sided messaging is so compelling that even our opposition members will be swayed. We never once talked to the New Zealand government about cutting our ties with New Zealand but the message our people received was that we were cutting our ties with New Zealand. We have been discussing the comprehensive partnership with New Zealand for months. But the messaging that got out is that we have not consulted. We are a partner in the relationship with New Zealand. We are not a child."[36]
Following the China partnership agreement dispute, Peters suggested that Cook Islands-New Zealand relations needed to be reset, and that a new agreement stating the "overall parameters and constraints of the free association model" needed to be signed. In response, Brown toldABC News on 3 April 2025 that the new agreement should reflect the fact that the Cook Islands had become more independent over the decades and should not "wind back the clock of colonialism." He said:
If there's anything, I would see a review of our arrangement which recognises the fact that the Cook Islands — not only is it one of the first countries to achieve high income status in the region, but it's one that is well-respected within the region for being able to have its own voice (and) a country that does make its own choices."[37]
In response, a spokesperson for Peters said that Brown needed to make the case for Cook Islands independence to his people before proceeding with plans to seek further independence from New Zealand.[37]
In response to media reports that the New Zealand Government had suspended almost NZ$20 million worth of core sector aid funding to the Cook Islands in response to disagreements over the Cook Island's partnership agreement with China, Brown stated on 19 June 2025 that the Cook Islands was "not privy to or consulted on" any agreements that New Zealand might sign with China during NZ Prime MinisterChristopher Luxon's visit toBeijing that week.[38][39]
On 9 November 2025, the New Zealand government extended its suspension of NZ$29.8 million worth of education and health funding to the Cook Islands over the next two financial years, citing a breakdown in trust caused by the Cook Islands' partnership agreements with China.[40][41] On 14 November, Brown told Cook Islands media that he had requested a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon and Foreign Minister Peters but that they had rejected his request, preferring to conduct discussions via officials. Brown also minimised the economic impact of the aid cuts, saying that the Cook Islands was able to cover the deficit due to its "strong economy, driven by tourism." Referring to the ongoing "cost of living" crisis in New Zealand, he said:
Looking to New Zealand, they are having issues with the state of their economy, it's going backwards, the people are running away from New Zealand forAustralia to find better opportunities. But our status however, it's all good, hence we were able to afford to cover the amount of money that we did not receive from New Zealand."[41]
Brown also reiterated the Cook Island's commitment to maintaining its free association relationship with New Zealand. In response, a spokesperson for Peters described Brown's vision of the New Zealand-Cook Islands relationship as "inconsistent" with the free association model.[41]
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