Cassey Tereapii Eggelton (born 26 February 1952) is a Cook Islands

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

 politician and former Cabinet Minister

Cook Islands Cabinet

The Cabinet of the Cook Islands is the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch of the Cook Islands Government. It consists of the Prime Minister and a number of other Ministers, who are collectively responsible to Parliament....

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Eggelton was born in Rarotonga

Rarotonga

Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...

 and attended Ngatangiia Primary school and Tereora College. She worked as a hotel manager and has a long association with the Miss Cook Islands Pageant. She was elected to Parliament

Parliament of the Cook Islands

The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the national legislature on independence in 1965....

 as a member of the Democratic Party

Democratic Party (Cook Islands)

The Democratic Party is a liberal political party in the Cook Islands. It is currently the Opposition party in the Cook Islands Parliament.-Early years:...

 for the seat of Matavera in the 2006 elections

Cook Islands general election, 2006

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on September 27, 2006 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The Democratic Party remained in power, winning 15 of 24 seats. A total of 8,497 voters turned out to vote....

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Eggelton was initially appointed Deputy Speaker, and was later appointed to Cabinet in March 2010 as Minister for Culture and the Environment. After she refused to resign from the cabinet following a request, she was expelled from the Democratic Party on 8 April 2010.
She failed to win re-election in the 2010 election

Cook Islands general election, 2010

General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 17 November 2010 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party, which won 16 of the 24 seats...

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Eggleton's brother-in-law is Queen's Representative

Queen's Representative

The Queen's Representative is the formal title given to the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, as Queen of New Zealand, in the Cook Islands....

 Frederick Tutu Goodwin

Frederick Tutu Goodwin

Sir Frederick Tutu Goodwin, KBE, is the Queen's Representative to the Cook Islands.Goodwin joined the Cook Islands Police in 1956. He served as a constable, then joined the New Zealand Police Force for a short time, before returning to the Cook Islands, where he eventually rose to the rank of...

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External links

• Profile at the Cook Islands Parliament.