The strong and growing relationship between Australia and the Cook Islands has been amplified by the stories of Cook Islanders who have lived and thrived in Australia.

In recognition of Australia Day, the Australian High Commission in the Cook Islands held a public “Stories of Friendship” exhibition last week, featuring the experiences of 10 individuals.

The stories were from people whose lives had been shaped by living and working in Australia or as Australians living in the Cook Islands.

“We wanted to celebrate the significant contribution of the Cook Islands community to Australia’s multicultural richness,” explained the Australian High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Phoebe Smith.

Prime Minister Mark Brown and his wife Daphne lived in the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia from 1987 to 1991.

Prime Minister Mark Brown and Pa Puia Rangatira - Rota Williams, both celebrated Australia Day at the Australian High Commission ‘Stories of Friendship’ exhibition on Wednesday last week. MELINA ETCHES/25012904

Brown’s highlight in Australia was meeting the legendary NRL king, Wally Lewis, at Lang Park, which is why he is now a lifelong Maroons supporter.

“We enjoyed the lifestyle there and probably in some ways it helped us prepare for a life back here, back home,” Brown shared. “It was a wonderful four years but it was only for us going to be for a period of time before we moved back home. I’m glad because we spent time in New Zealand and we spent time in Australia which gave us a good understanding I guess of what life is outside of the Cook Islands before we finally settled back home.”

Brown said the country’s relationship with Australia has gone from strength to strength since the early days when Cook Islanders first moved to Australia to seek opportunity and settle there.

The new generations of Cook Islanders have now made their home in places like Western Australia, further away from the Cook Islands but doing very well, he said.

“Our communities in Australia are doing so well, it’s a benefit to both our countries that they are there contributing to the Australian economy,” Brown said.

In November 2024, the Cook Islands Government signed a superannuation agreement with Australia allowing returning Cook Islanders to retire and transfer their superannuation savings to the Cook Islands National Superannuation Fund.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) allows portability of retirement savings between our two countries.

Brown said the signing of the MOU provides an option for Cook Islanders to return back home if they want to and transfer their superannuation contributions into the Cook Islands super fund.

“This relationship we have built and developed over the years is just going from strength to strength, particularly on a people-to-people basis,” Brown said.

Pa Puia Rangatira – Rota Williams has lived in Australia for most of his life, from 1979 to 2023.

He distinctly recalls arriving in Sydney for the first time on his 24^th birthday – a treat from himself.

“It was so hot compared to Wellington,” Williams recalled.

He stayed with a friend of a friend, eventually made connections with a cousin living there and stayed.

“I just grew to love the place, it’s the lifestyle really, I loved it and the beaches reminded me of Rarotonga.”

Williams got married, had a daughter and is a proud grandfather. He and his wife purchased a property and he continues to look at the investment market.

In January 1988, Australia celebrated its bicentenary, lighting up the Sydney harbour bridge for the first time.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported an estimated 2.5 million, by far the biggest crowd to attend a single Australian event, turned up to witness – and protest – the “glorious confusion” of Sydney’s Bicentenary celebrations.

Williams and his family watched the celebrations from the 34^th floor of a skyscraper.

“We were looking down and there was this beautiful fireworks display on the harbour bridge and I turned to my wife and said ‘we are home, this is our home’,” he said.

In May, 1988, the Williams were naturalised, becoming Australian citizens.

“So, I switched allegiance from the All Blacks to the Wallabies, and to the Diamonds for the netball.”

Williams embraced Sydney and its beauty.

“Of course, everywhere you go people talk about discrimination … oh for goodness sake. This is something I always tell everybody – stand tall, be proud, be a Cook Islander and be proud of that,” he said.

“And the good thing is that we speak English as well as they do, and sometimes even better than some of them, so that is your weapon.”

After living in Australia for 43 years, a few years ago, Williams returned home to Rarotonga.

“Look, there’s always a longing to come back, always. We’re retired and my daughter has her own life.”

Unfortunately, due to health reasons his wife flew back to Australia. Williams continues to live in both Sydney and Rarotonga.

“Australia has so much to give, it is a wonderful country,” Williams said.

Cook Islander Paul Bob was born in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.

His parents Itaea Ngariki Bob and Mariana Albert Nicholls from Aitutaki migrated to Auckland from Aitutaki in the late 1960s.

In 1981, the Bob family moved to Sydney, Australia. Paul was aged five.

Both of his parents passed away and are buried at the Liverpool Memorial Cemetery.

“I grew up in a town full of immigrants and we were the very first Polynesian family,” said Paul.

“I wasn’t brought up around a lot of Cook Islanders until my teenage years.”

His parents immersed themselves in building a foundation for their family and the Cook Islands community in Sydney.

They started the New South Wales Cook Islands Sports Association, founded the Cook Islands Christian Church in Liverpool, Sydney, and launched the first Cook Islands radio station - Radio 2000, known as “The voice of the Cook Islands”.

“All these organisations continue to operate today,” Paul said.

In 1991, the “Boys in Black” was launched, a five-piece vocal group which included Paul and his two brothers Ben and Bob.

Their cover version rap remake of Bee Gees’ song, “More Than a Woman” (1993), reached the top 50 on both New Zealand and Australian singles charts.

“We were the first R’n’B hip-hop group from Australia. We appeared on major TV and radio stations across the country, including shows like “Hey Hey It’s Saturday,” “The Midday Show” and 2Day FM.

“Our music career continued throughout the 1990s, with multiple singles and eventually an album called “5683” under the group name Boys in Black.”

Although Paul has been living outside of Australia for nearly 20 years, he has always returned to visit his immediate family who live there.

In December 2023, Paul packed up in Auckland, New Zealand, and moved to Rarotonga to live with his wife Trish (nee Browne Holford) and their two daughters.

“I love the Cook Islands, and need to be true to myself,” he said.

Paul has relaxed into the island lifestyle of Rarotonga and using his musical talent, entertains around the island. He performs at the Muri Beach Club Hotel, Laguna on Muri, or at the Rarotonga Sailing Club. He also entertains part-time at The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Lagoonarium, Maire Nui Gardens, Trader Jacks, and private events.

“I’ve had nothing but great times being amongst Australians and meeting people from different ethnic backgrounds. I think there is a culture of similarities that has been brewing between the Cook Islands and Australia over the past 30 years.”

Paul said there is a new culture of Australians, Cook Islands-Australians, and Polynesian-Australians, who are all just one group of people, but are all similar.

“It makes me laugh, because as a Cook Islander growing up, there was only a small group of Australians who knew about Cook Islanders.

“Now, there are so many of us and they are like, ‘You are one of us’. We are sort of like yeah, we always have been. Green and gold, I reckon – it’s awesome.”

• Paul Bob’s story is an excerpt from the Australian High Commission ‘Stories of Friendship’ exhibition.