Albert Nicholas (politician, born 1971)

Albert Nicholas
MP
Nicholas in 2017
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office
16 February 2024
Prime MinisterMark Brown
Preceded byRobert Tapaitau
Minister of National Environment Services
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 December 2022
Preceded byRobert Tapaitau
Minister of Infrastructure & Planning
Incumbent
Assumed office
23 December 2022
Preceded byRobert Tapaitau
Minister of Internal Affairs
In office
15 March 2015 – 21 September 2018
Prime MinisterHenry Puna
Preceded byNandi Glassie
Succeeded byVaine Mokoroa
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 July 2014
Preceded byJohn Henry
Personal details
Born (1971-09-02) 2 September 1971 (age 53)
Political partyDemocratic Party
Cook Islands Party
RelationsAlbert (Peto) Nicholas

Albert Taaviri Kaitara Nicholas (born 2 September 1971)[1] is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party. He is the son of former MP Albert (Peto) Nicholas.[2]

Nicholas was born on Rarotonga and educated at Avarua School and Tereora College.[1] He worked as a public servant for Customs before becoming self-employed.[1] He first elected to parliament in the 2014 election as a representative of the Democratic Party. He represents the seat of Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston.

In March 2015, Nicholas switched his support to the government of Henry Puna in exchange for a cabinet post as Minister of Internal Affairs, Youth and Sport, the Ombudsman, and the Punanga Nui market.[2][3] He was subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party.[4]

In 2016, he was part of the Cook Islands' delegation to the second Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Wellington, New Zealand.[5] In April 2017 he resigned from parliament in order to end speculation over his defection from the Democrats.[6] He was re-elected in the resulting 2017 Avatiu–Ruatonga–Palmerston by-election.[7]

He was re-elected at the 2018 election.[8] On 21 September 2018 Nicholas was sacked from cabinet without explanation while overseas for health reasons. He was replaced by Vaine Mokoroa.[9]

In January 2019, Nicholas was charged in New Zealand with "unlawfully taking a motor vehicle", a rental car. He entered a plea of not guilty the following month, and was released on bail, returning to the Cook Islands.[10] He failed to appear at a second hearing at Manukau District Court on 26 March, resulting in an arrest warrant being issued. He was nonetheless sworn back into parliament on 9 April.[11] As of June 2019, the arrest warrant remains active, and Nicholas will be arrested if he returns to New Zealand.[12]

In February 2020 Nicholas was seriously injured in a car accident.[13] In March 2020 Nicholas admitted that he had pledged his support to the government of Henry Puna in exchange for a bridge being built in his electorate.[14]

Following the election of Mark Brown as Prime Minister he was appointed Associate Minister for the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.[15]

He was re-elected at the 2022 Cook Islands general election.[16] In December 2022 he was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Infrastructure, and National Environmental Services.[17]

In February 2024 following the conviction of Robert Tapaitau for fraud he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.[18]

  1. ^ a b c "Albert Taaviri Kaitara NICHOLAS". Cook Islands Parliament. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ^ a b Phillipa Webb (16 March 2015). "Nicholas jumps to the other side". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Defecting Cook Islands MP given cabinet post". RNZ International. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Defecting MP expelled from Cook Islands Democratic party". RNZ. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  5. ^ "MPs represent country in NZ". Cook Islands News. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Resigned Cooks Minister expected to contest by-election". RNZ. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Cooks' Nicholas has big win in by-election". RNZ. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Preliminary Results from Votes Counted 14-06-2018". Cook Islands Ministry of Justice. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Cook Islands cabinet minister sacked". Radio New Zealand International. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Nicholas enters not guilty plea in NZ". Cook Islands News. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  11. ^ "Man wanted for arrest in NZ sworn in as Cook Islands MP". Radio New Zealand. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  12. ^ "Arrest warrant for Nicholas still active". Cook Islands News. 1 June 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  13. ^ Rashneel Kumar (27 March 2020). "MP returns after three weeks injured in hospital". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  14. ^ Rashneel Kumar (19 March 2020). "'I could have caused headaches for the PM'". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  15. ^ Emmanuel Samoglou and Rashneel Kumar (8 October 2020). "PM takes on 17 portfolios". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "Cabinet Minister Albert Nicholas to Take on Four Portfolios". Parliament of the Cook Islands. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  18. ^ "Albert Nicholas appointed Deputy Prime Minister". Cook Islands News. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 16 February 2024.