Terepai Maoate

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Sir Terepai Maoate

|honorific_suffix = KBE

|image=Terepai MAOATE.jpg

|caption =

|order = 6th

|office = Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands

|term_start = 9 August 2005

|term_end = 23 December 2009

|1blankname = Queen's Representative

|1namedata = Frederick Tutu Goodwin

|primeminister = Jim Marurai

|predecessor = Geoffrey Henry

|successor = Robert Wigmore

|term_start1 = 30 January 2003

|term_end1 = 5 November 2003

|1blankname1 = Representative

|1namedata1 = Frederick Tutu Goodwin

|primeminister1 = Robert Woonton

|predecessor1 = Geoffrey Henry

|successor1 = Ngamau Munokoa

|term_start2 = 1985

|term_end2 = 1 February 1989

|1blankname2 = Queen's Representative

|1namedata2 = Tangaroa Tangaroa

|primeminister2 = Tom Davis
Pupuke Robati

|predecessor2 = Geoffrey Henry

|successor2 = Inatio Akaruru

|order3= 8th

|office3 = Prime Minister of the Cook Islands

|term_start3 = {{start date|df=yes|1999|11|18}}

|term_end3 = {{end date|df=yes|2002|2|11}}

|monarch3 = Elizabeth II

|1blankname3 = Queen's Representative

|1namedata3 = Apenera Short
Laurence Greig {{small|(Acting)}}
Frederick Tutu Goodwin

|deputy3= Norman George
Robert Woonton

|predecessor3 =Joe Williams

|successor3 =Robert Woonton

|constituency3 = Ngatangiia

|birth_date = 1 September 1934

|birth_place = Rarotonga, Cook Islands

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2012|07|09|1934|09|01|df=y}}

|death_place =

|spouse = Lady Marito (née Mapu)

|party = Democratic Party

|children = Terepai Maoate Jnr

}}{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}

Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate {{post-nominals|KBE}} (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 1934, and educated at Ngatangiia Primary School, Fiji School of Medicine, and the University of Auckland (New Zealand). He worked as a medical doctor before becoming Director of Clinical Services for the Ministry of Health in 1976.{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.ck/members/maote1.html |title=Terepai Maoate |publisher=Cook Islands Parliament |accessdate=31 March 2009}}

Maoate was elected to the Cook Islands Parliament as MP for Ngatangiia in the March 1983 general election. He subsequently served as Minister of Health and Agriculture in the Democratic cabinet of Tom Davis, and between 1985 and 1989 was also Deputy Prime Minister.

In 1998, Maoate became Leader of the Democratic party and Leader of the Opposition. The 1999 election produced a hung Parliament, and following several coalition realignments, Maoate became prime minister.{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislands.de/index.php?page=703756965&f=1&i=703756965 |title=History of the Cook Islands |accessdate=27 March 2009}} He was ousted by his former Deputy Prime Minister Robert Woonton on 11 February 2002,{{cite web |url=http://www.tax-news.com/archive/story/Terepai_Maoate_Ousted_As_Cook_Islands_PM_xxxx7309.html |title=Terepai Maoate Ousted As Cook Islands PM |author=Robert Lee |publisher=TaxNews.com |date=14 February 2002 |accessdate=31 March 2009}} and subsequently became Leader of the Opposition.

In early 2003 the Democratic Party re-merged,{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=3501 |title=Cook Islands deputy PM wants strong party for elections |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=5 February 2003 |accessdate=31 March 2009}} and Maoate was reappointed to cabinet, replacing Cook Islands Party leader Geoffrey Henry as Deputy Prime Minister.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=339 |title=Cook Islands deputy PM sacked |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=30 January 2003 |accessdate=31 March 2009}} However the arrangement did not last, with Maoate resigning{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=7318 |title=Two Cook Islands cabinet ministers resign |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=5 November 2003 |accessdate=31 March 2009}} and tabling a motion of no-confidence in the government in November.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=7309 |title=Cook Islands Parliament debates Deputy Prime Minister's call for early election |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=5 November 2003 |accessdate=31 March 2009}} Continued factional infighting saw Maoate fail to become prime minister after the 2004 elections, when a group of Democratic Party MPs split to back Jim Marurai. However, a coalition realignment in 2005 saw Maoate reappointed as Deputy Prime Minister again.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=18561 |title=Cook Islands deputy PM dumped, new government formed |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=9 August 2005 |accessdate=31 March 2009}}

In July 2009, he was given the additional position of Foreign Minister.

In December 2009 Maoate was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister in favour of Robert Wigmore, sparking a mass-resignation of Democratic Party cabinet members{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=51125 |title=Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=24 December 2009 |accessdate=24 December 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129:cabinet-ministers-resign-in-support-of-party-leader&catid=1:latest-news |title=Cabinet Ministers Resign in Support of Party Leader |publisher=Democratic Party – Cook Islands |date=23 December 2009 |accessdate=25 December 2009}} and the withdrawal of support for the government.{{cite web|url=http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=133:marurai-wilkie-coalition-falling-apart&catid=1:latest-news |title=Marurai Wilkie coalition falling apart |publisher=Democratic Party – Cook Islands |date=31 December 2009 |accessdate=4 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006221419/http://www.democookislands.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=133:marurai-wilkie-coalition-falling-apart&catid=1:latest-news |archivedate=6 October 2011 }} He was subsequently replaced as Democratic Party leader by Wigmore in June 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=53968 |title=New leadership for Cook Islands Democratic Party |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=3 June 2010 |accessdate=5 June 2010}}

In September 2010 he failed to be reselected for his Ngatangiia seat after losing a run-off.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=56174 |title=Sir Terepai Maoate loses selection run off in Cook Islands constituency |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=30 September 2010 |accessdate=30 September 2010}} He subsequently decided to run as an independent,{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=56311 |title=Former Cook Islands Prime Minister to run as independent |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=7 October 2010 |accessdate=7 October 2010}} but was unsuccessful.{{cite web |url=http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=57113 |title=Preliminary results show Democrats ousted in Cook Islands election |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=18 November 2010 |accessdate=18 November 2010}}

Maoate was knighted in 2007.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/167074/the-newly-knighted-terepai-maoate-credits-family-and-friends-for-his-honour |title=The newly knighted Terepai Maoate credits family and friends for his honour |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=3 January 2007 |accessdate=1 July 2020}}

Maoate died on 9 July 2012 aged 77.{{cite news |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/pacific/205773/former-cook-islands-pm,-sir-terepai-maoate,-has-died |title=Former Cook Islands PM, Sir Terepai Maoate, has died |newspaper=RNZ |publisher=Radio New Zealand International |date=9 July 2012 |accessdate=30 November 2020}}