Wilkie Rasmussen, Date of Birth, Place of Birth

    

Wilkie Rasmussen

New Zealand politician

Date of Birth: 21-Mar-1958

Place of Birth: Cook Islands, New Zealand

Profession: politician, diplomat

Nationality: New Zealand

Zodiac Sign: Aries


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About Wilkie Rasmussen

  • Wilkie Olaf Patua Rasmussen (born 21 March 1958) is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister.
  • He is leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party, and represents the constituency of Penrhyn. Rasmussen was born in Omoka on the island of Penrhyn.
  • He attended the University of Auckland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, and Bachelor of Laws.
  • After practising as a Barrister and Solicitor, he became Secretary to the Cook Islands Cabinet, then High Commissioner to New Zealand from 2000 to 2002.He first entered Parliament in a by-election in 2002, standing for the Cook Islands Party.
  • Early in his political career he challenged the eligibility of two Government MPs to sit, on the grounds that they worked as paid consultants and were therefore public servants.
  • The challenge was ultimately unsuccessful.After being narrowly re-elected in the 2004 election, Rasmussen was brought into the coalition Cabinet of Jim Marurai, replacing Piho Rua as Minister of Culture and Tourism.
  • He was later elevated to Foreign Minister.
  • He switched his allegiance to the Democratic Party shortly before the 2006 elections, and as a result was elected unopposed.
  • He was elected deputy leader of the Democratic Party in August 2007, replacing Tepure Tapaitau and currently holds the portfolios of Finance & Economic Management, Attourney-General, and the Pearl Authority.Rasmussen was Minister of Foreign Affairs & Immigration, Marine Resources, and Tourism until 28 July 2009 when he was sacked by Jim Marurai for "disloyalty".
  • He was subsequently expelled from Cook Islands Democratic Party on 25 August 2009.
  • He was reappointed to Cabinet in the December 2009 reshuffle following the sacking of Terepai Maoate and resignation of Democratic party cabinet ministers.
  • A Democratic Party conference in June 2010 restored his membership and appointed him deputy leader.Rasmussen was co-president of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly until December 2009, replaced by Charles Milupi (Zambia) in December 2009. He was re-elected at the 2010 election.
  • He became Leader of the Opposition in February 2012 after Democratic party leader Robert Wigmore was granted medical leave from Parliament.
  • Following Wigmore's death in April 2012 he became acting leader of the Democratic Party.
  • His position as party leader was confirmed in August 2012.

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