Pita Sharples

The Honourable Doctor Pita Russell Sharples CBE, MP
Pita Sharples in 2010
41st Minister of Māori Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 November 2008 (2008-11-19)
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Parekura Horomia
Co-leader of the Māori Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 7 July 2004 (2004-07-07)
Preceded by	Position established
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau
Incumbent
Assumed office 2005
Preceded by	John Tamihere
Majority	2127 (11.11%)
Personal details
Born	20 July 1941 (1941-07-20) Waipawa, Hawke's Bay
Nationality	New Zealand
Political party	Māori Party
Occupation	Professor
Website	http://www.pitasharples.co.nz/

Pita Russell Sharples, CBE, (born Peter Russell Sharples, 20 July 1941), a Māori academic and politician, currently co-leads the Māori Party. He currently is the member for Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland City) in New Zealand's Parliament.

Early life

Sharples, was born in Waipawa, a town in Hawke's Bay. His mother Ruiha was of Ngati Kahungunu, and his father Paul was a shearer and a second generation New Zealander whose family came from Bolton, United Kingdom.

He received his early education at Waipukurau District High School, but then became a boarder at Te Aute College. His four years there culminated in him becoming head boy, and he credits this time as a turning point of his life. He then attended the University of Auckland, studying education. After graduating, he remained at the University as an instructor, working as a Professor of Education. He subsequently gained an MA (1st class) in Anthropology, and later a PhD in Anthropology and Linguistics – both also from the University of Auckland.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
2005–2008	48th	Tamaki Makaurau	2	Māori
2008–2011	49th	Tāmaki Makaurau	2	Māori
2011 – present	50th	Tāmaki Makaurau	8	Māori

In addition to his academic work, Sharples has long advocated a separate Māori political party. After the foreshore and seabed controversy flared in 2003–2004, Sharples joined forces with Tariana Turia, a minister in the Labour Party government who resigned over the issue. Turia and Sharples began to organise a new party based around Turia's Te Tai Hauāuru seat. This eventually became launched on 7 July 2004 as the Māori Party, of which Sharples became co-leader.

In the general election of September 2005, Sharples contested and won the seat of Tamaki Makaurau, the Māori electorate covering urban Auckland, displacing former Labour MP John Tamihere.

Minister of Māori Affairs

In the 2008 general election Sharples was re-elected with a majority of more than 7000. The National Party won most seats overall and formed a minority government with support from the Māori Party, Act New Zealand and United Future. Sharples was made Minister of Māori Affairs, although like other support party members he remained outside Cabinet. Dr Sharples was returned to parliament in the 2011 general election, and is currently the only New Zealand MP to be over the age of 70.

External links

• Pita Sharples MP official site
• Profile at Māori Party
• Profile at New Zealand Parliament
• Releases and speeches at Beehive.govt.nz
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou.co.nz
• "Pita Sharples", TV documentary

Parliament of New Zealand
Preceded by John Tamihere	Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau 2005	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Parekura Horomia	Minister of Māori Affairs 2008	Incumbent
Party political offices
New political party	Co-leader of the Māori Party 2004 Served alongside: Tariana Turia	Incumbent