{{Short description|Cook Islands politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2017}} thumb|Inatio Akaruru in 1969
'''Inatio Akaruru''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CBE}} (31 March 1937 – 31 January 2014)<ref>[http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/44518-pm-puna-honours-former-politicians/44518-pm-puna-honours-former-politicians PM Puna honours former politicians]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=246473425523900&set=a.246478158856760.1073741831.100004837324036&type=1&theater |author=John Akarur |title=Shattered to hear the news that my Dad Inatio Akaruru passed away in his sleep this morning back in the Cook Islands. Hard to believe that he is gone before i got to see him in June. RIP DAD |website=Facebook |date=31 January 2014}}</ref> was a Cook Islands politician, cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He was a member of the Cook Islands Party.
Akaruru was born on Pukapuka.<ref name=cinobit>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/2014/February/Wed05/other.htm#1402040934 |title=PM Puna honours former politicians |author=Ben Chapman-Smith |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=4 February 2014 |accessdate=9 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222055631/http://www.cookislandsnews.com/2014/February/Wed05/other.htm#1402040934 |archivedate=22 February 2014 }}</ref> He worked as a public servant before being elected as MP for Pukapuka at the 1968 election.<ref name=cinobit/> He served as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Albert Henry and as Deputy Prime Minister to Geoffrey Henry.
At the 1999 election Akaruru held the Pukapuka-Nassau seat by a single vote.<ref>{{cite book |title=Europa World Year Book 2004 |volume=II |publisher=Europa Publications |location=London |date=2004 |isbn=1-85743-255-X |page=3137 }}</ref> The result was challenged by the Democratic Alliance Party and declared invalid. A by-election in September 1999 was also subsequently invalidated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pidp.org/archive/1999/December/12-09-06.htm |title=Another by-election for Cook Islands Pukapuka-Nassau seat |publisher=Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center |date=8 December 1999 |accessdate=9 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185612/http://pidp.org/archive/1999/December/12-09-06.htm |archive-date=21 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Akaruru contested the resulting 2000 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election and was defeated.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pidp.org/archive/2000/December/12-06-10.htm |title=PUKAPUKA/NASSAU PETITION HEARING DECEMBER 15 |author=Alex Sword |publisher=Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center |date=29 November 2000 |accessdate=9 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221185616/http://pidp.org/archive/2000/December/12-06-10.htm |archive-date=21 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 1977, Akaruru was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |authorlink1=Alister Taylor |authorlink2=Deborah Coddington |chapter=Recipients of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal 1977: nominal roll of New Zealand recipients including Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=425}}</ref> He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1992 New Year Honours.
Akaruru was interested in bowls and was President of the Cook Islands Bowling Association from 1984 to 2006.<ref name=fsp>{{cite web |url=http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=2-3844-0-0-0&sID=60437&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=14523549 |title=Inatio AKARURU C.B.E. |publisher=Fox Sports Pulse |date= |accessdate=9 February 2014}}</ref> He represented the Cook Islands in Bowls at the 1990 Auckland and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.<ref name=fsp/>
==References== {{commons category}} {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akaruru, Inatio}} Category:1937 births Category:2014 deaths Category:Deputy prime ministers of the Cook Islands Category:Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands Category:Cook Islands Party politicians Category:Cook Island male bowls players Category:People from Pukapuka Category:Cook Island Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Bowls players at the 1990 Commonwealth Games Category:Bowls players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for the Cook Islands Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen
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