The Honourable Dame Tariana Turia DNZM |
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1st Minister responsible for Whānau Ora | |
In office 8 April 2010 – 8 October 2014 |
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Prime Minister | John Key |
Succeeded by | Te Ururoa Flavell |
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector | |
In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2011 |
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Prime Minister | John Key |
Preceded by | Ruth Dyson |
Succeeded by | Jo Goodhew |
Minister for Disability Issues | |
In office 13 June 2009 – 8 October 2014 |
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Prime Minister | John Key |
Preceded by | Paula Bennett |
Succeeded by | Nicky Wagner |
Co-leader of the Māori Party | |
In office 7 July 2004 – September 2014 Co-leading with Pita Sharples |
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Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Marama Fox |
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour Party List |
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In office 12 October 1996 – 27 July 2002 |
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Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Te Tai Hauāuru |
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In office 27 July 2002 – 20 August 2014 |
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Preceded by | Nanaia Mahuta |
Succeeded by | Adrian Rurawhe |
Majority | 5,113 |
Personal details | |
Born | 8 April 1944 |
Political party |
Māori Party (2004-) Labour (until 2004) |
Spouse(s) | George Turia |
Religion | Ratana |
Dame Tariana Turia DNZM (born 8 April 1944) is a New Zealand politician. She gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy, and eventually broke with her party as a result. She resigned from parliament, and successfully contested a by-election in her former electorate as a candidate of the newly formed Māori Party. She retired from Parliament in 2014.
Turia was born in 1944 to an American (probably Native American) father and Māori mother. Her Māori roots are Whanganui, Ngāti Apa, Ngā Rauru, and Tūwharetoa iwi.
She is married to George Turia. They have 4 children, 2 whāngai, and 28 grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Before entering politics, she had considerable involvement with a number of Māori organisations, working with Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry of Māori Development) and a number of Māori health providers. She also had associations with the Te Kura Kaupapa and kohanga reo movements.
Turia entered the New Zealand Parliament in the 1996 election as a list MP for the Labour Party, ranking 20th on the party list. In the 1999 election, she remained a list MP, but ranked sixteenth. In the 2002 election, however, she contested the Te Tai Hauauru Māori electorate, and opted not to place herself on the party list at all. Te Tai Hauauru (roughly, the Māori voters of the west of the North Island) returned her as their member of parliament.