Teariki Heather

Teariki William Heather (born 30 July 1959) is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet minister who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2013 to 2018. Previously a member of the Cook Islands Party, he is now the leader of the Cook Islands United Party.

Teariki Heather
14th Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
In office 11 December 2013 – 14 June 2018
Prime Minister	Henry Puna
Preceded by	Tom Marsters
Succeeded by	Mark Brown
Minister of Police
In office 17 April 2012 – 14 June 2018
Preceded by	Henry Puna
Succeeded by	Vaine Mokoroa
Minister of Justice
In office 3 November 2013 – 15 March 2015
Preceded by	Henry Puna
Succeeded by	Nandi Glassie
Minister of Infrastructure & Planning
In office 3 December 2010 – 14 June 2018
Preceded by	William (Smiley) Heather
Succeeded by	Robert Tapaitau
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament for Murienua
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 August 2022
Preceded by	Patrick Arioka
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament for Akaoa
In office 7 September 2004 – 14 June 2018
Preceded by	Teremoana Tapi Taio
Succeeded by	Nooroa o Teariki Baker
Personal details
Born	(1959-06-30) 30 June 1959 (age 65) Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Political party	Cook Islands Party Cook Islands United Party

Early life

Heather was born on Rarotonga and educated at Arorangi Primary school and Tereora College.^[1] He is the younger brother of Democratic Party MP William (Smiley) Heather.^[2] He was a businessman before entering politics.^[1]

Political career

In March 2003 Heather founded the Cook Islands National Party with the aim of securing political reform, including a shorter Parliamentary term.^[3][4] The party launched a high-profile court case against MPs Norman George and Paora Teiti in an effort to have them unseated for performing consultancy work for the government, which was seen as making them public servants and thus ineligible to hold office,^[5] but the case was unsuccessful.^[6] Heather contested the 2003 Rua'au by-election as a National Party candidate, but was unsuccessful.^[7][8] He subsequently disbanded the party and joined the Cook Islands Party.^[9]

In the 2004 elections Heather entered Parliament after winning the seat of Akaoa.^[10] The 2006 election produced a tie in the seat, forcing a by-election which Heather won.^[11]

Cabinet

At the 2010 election Heather was re-elected and was one of four candidates for the post of Deputy Prime Minister.^[12] He did not gain that position, but was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Infrastructure & Planning.^[13][14] Shortly after his appointment he was warned by the Public Service Commissioner about attempting to privately employ a new Head of Ministry in violation of the Public Service Act.^[15] In April 2012 he was appointed Minister of Police.^[16] Shortly afterwards he was accused of corruption over the allocation of government contracts to his family business.^[17] Later that year he suggested amending the law to allow parents to smack their children.^[18] A Cabinet reshuffle in November 2013 saw him pick up the Justice portfolio.^[19] In December 2013 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Tom Marsters.^[20]

Heather was re-elected at the 2014 election.^[21] A further Cabinet reshuffle in March 2015 saw him yield the Justice portfolio to Nandi Glassie.^[22]

In February 2016 news emerged that Heather was being investigated for corruption by the Financial Intelligence Unit.^[23] Prime Minister Henry Puna refused to suspend him.^[24]

Heather was not re-elected at the 2018 election, losing to Nooroa o Teariki Baker.^[25][26]

United party

Following his election loss Heather founded the Cook Islands United Party with former MP Nandi Glassie.^[27] He subsequently contested the 2019 Ivirua by-election but was unsuccessful.^[28] In the 2022 election he contested the seat of Murienua, promising that it would be his last term in parliament if elected.^[29] He was elected along with two other United party MP's.^[30]

References

1. "Mr. Teariki HEATHER". Parliament of the Cook Islands. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012.
2. "Enough Heathers". Cook islands News. 5 March 2010. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
3. Jonassen, Jon Tikivanotau M (2004). "Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events: Cook Islands". The Contemporary Pacific. 16: 146–153. doi:10.1353/cp.2004.0014.
4. "New political party formed in Cook Islands". RNZ. 28 March 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
5. "Cook Islands National Party to seek declaratory judgment against two MPs". RNZ. 15 July 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
6. "Cook Islands court clears MP Norman George of double-dipping allegation". RNZ. 19 January 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
7. "Cooks voters go to polls in Rarotonga by-election". Radio New Zealand International. 15 August 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
8. "Geoffrey Heather wins Cook Islands by-election". RNZ. 18 August 2003. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
9. "Cook Islands MP and party joins forces with main opposition party". RNZ. 12 February 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
10. "Cook Islands election results could lead to a hung parliament". RNZ. 8 September 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
11. "Cook Islands Party wins Akaoa". Radio New Zealand International. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
12. "Race begins for position of Cook Islands Deputy PM". RNZ. 21 November 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
13. "Cooks PM announces cabinet line up". RNZ. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
14. "Who's who in Cabinet". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011.
15. "Cooks politicians reprimanded for not following proper employment process". RNZ. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
16. "COOK ISLANDS CABINET SHUFFLES POLICE PORTFOLIO". Pacific Islands Report. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
17. "Cook Islands opposition accuses minister of giving family business contracts". RNZ. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
18. "Cook Islands minister suggests law change to allow smacking". RNZ. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
19. "Long awaited cabinet shuffle announced". Cook Islands News. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
20. "Cooks PM Puna chooses Heather as his deputy". RNZ. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
21. "Cook Islands Party wins absolute majority". RNZ. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
22. "Defecting Cook Islands MP given cabinet post". RNZ. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
23. "Cooks Minister being investigated for corruption". RNZ. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
24. "Cooks PM won't suspend his deputy". RNZ. 11 February 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
25. "Preliminary Results from Votes Counted 14-06-2018". Cook Islands Ministry of Justice. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
26. "Two ministers go in early Cooks results". RNZ. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
27. "Cook Islands political party claims demand for change". RNZ. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
28. "Cook Islands Democratic Party looks to have secured Ivirua seat". RNZ. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
29. Caleb Fotheringham (18 July 2022). "'Last term' for United Party leader". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
30. "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.