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Cops-turned-politicians reunite

Saturday 27 April 2024 | Written by Melina Etches | Published in Local, National

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Cops-turned-politicians reunite
Minister Vaine “Mac” Mokoroa and New Zealand MP and Deputy Speaker Greg O’Connor first met in the 1990s. They are both former police detectives and presidents of their respective police associations. MELINA ETCHES/2404182

New Zealand’s Speaker of the House of Representatives, Gerry Brownlee, and his delegation to the Pacific visited Rarotonga last week.

The visit also marked the “reunion” of former police detectives Minister Vaine “Mac” Mokoroa and New Zealand MP Greg O’Connor.

Mokoroa and O’Connor first met in the 1990s and now have a career in their respective parliaments.

O’Connor is the Second Assistant Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives and has been serving as the Member of Parliament for Ōhāriu since 2017. He is the former president of New Zealand Police.

Mokoroa was the former president of the Cook Islands Police Association and had meetings with O’Connor throughout his police career.

Mokoroa said O’Connor was helpful and supportive to the Cook Islands Police Association.