RIP Dame Tariana Turia

Stuff reports:

Former minister and Te Pāti Māori founder Dame Tariana Turia has died after suffering a stroke, aged 80.

“The whānau of the Honourable Dr Dame Tariana Turia advise, with deep sadness, the passing of their beloved kuia at Whangaehu Marae in Whanganui in the early hours of Friday 3 January 2025,” a statement on the Te Ranga Tupua Facebook said.

“A mother of six; grandmother; great-grandmother and great-grandmother of over 80 mokopuna, Kahurangi (Dame) Tariana will be remembered for spearheading a movement of transformation inspired by her belief in whānau being able to define their own solutions.

“Her introduction of the concept of Whānau Ora in 2002; and her leadership as the first Minister for Whānau Ora in 2010, has been instrumental in changing the ways in which the State have worked for Māori and Pasifika families over the last two decades.

This is sad news. She showed herself to be a person of huge principle when she resigned from Labour in protest over the Forehore and Seabed legislation. It was likely to be the end of her political career. Helen Clark sacked her as a Minister. But she won the (un-contested) by-election and the newly formed Māori Party won four seats at the 2005 election.

She served as a Minister again from 2008 to 2014 in the John Key led Government. Many Ministers have said she was excellent to deal with. That doesn’t mean they agree a lot – it means she worked to achieve outcomes she saw as desirable by focusing on issues, not demonising people.

She will be missed.