John Tamihere

John Henry Tamihere (born 8 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician, media personality, and political commentator.

Tamihere was born in Auckland on 8 February 1959, the 11th of 13 children of John Hamil Tamihere and Ruby Elaine Tamihere (née McEwen).

Of Māori descent, he affiliates to the Whakatohea and Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki iwi.

He is a brother to convicted murderer David Tamihere.

John Tamihere attended St Mary's School in Avondale and St Peter's College where one of his most influential teachers was Tom Weal, deputy leader of the Social Credit Political League 1970–1972.

Tamihere rated Weal as his most influential teacher, and said that Weal would link things to politics and, in particular, to New Zealand's agricultural policies.

Weal would emphasise that grass was the most important New Zealand crop, as it was the basis of the wool, meat, and dairy industries.

Weal alerted Tamihere to the impact that Britain's joining the European Common market would have on New Zealand's economy and society.

According to Weal, New Zealand would have to wake up quickly to the loss of the relationship with Britain, find new markets and new ways of doing things, and start to back itself.

"The way Mr Weal brought education to life gave me a strong interest in what I call the Kiwi-isation of our society", wrote Tamihere.

Tamihere gained arts and law degrees from the University of Auckland, being the first person in his family to attend university.

After graduating, he became a lawyer, eventually working for the Māori Land Court and the Department of Māori Affairs.

In 1991, Tamihere became the chief executive of the Waipareira Trust, a trust that provides health and education services to Māori in the Auckland region.

He also served as chairman of the New Zealand Māori Rugby League Board.

Tamihere had a relatively high profile before entering politics, having been selected as Person of the Year by The Sunday Star-Times, New Zealander of the Year by North & South magazine, and Man of the Year by Metro magazine.

He was member of Parliament from 1999 to 2005, including serving as a Cabinet minister in the Labour Party from August 2002 to November 2004.

In the 1999 election, Tamihere stood as the Labour Party's candidate for the Māori electorate of Hauraki.

He won the seat with 60 percent of the vote; his nearest rival gained only 15 percent.

He became chairman of the Māori Affairs Select Committee and also served on the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee.

Journalist Vernon Small said that "in the mid-2000s Tamihere was seen as a rising star, and even a potential prime minister".

In the 2002 election, Tamihere contested the newly formed Tamaki Makaurau electorate, which he won with 73 percent of the vote.

He gained the second-highest majority in a Māori electorate, exceeded only by that of Parekura Horomia, the Minister of Māori Affairs.

Tamihere was appointed to Cabinet in 2002.

He served as Minister of Small Business, Minister of Youth Affairs, Minister of Statistics, and Minister for Land Information, as well as functioning as Horomia's deputy as Associate Minister of Māori Affairs until 2004.

The foreshore and seabed controversy of 2004–2005 put considerable strain on the Labour Party's Māori MPs, with many showing dissatisfaction with the party's policy.

Two Labour MPs, Tariana Turia and Nanaia Mahuta, chose to vote against Labour's legislation, and Turia elected to leave the party.

Tamihere, however, eventually voted in favour of the legislation, and defended it from its critics.

Tamihere also criticised the new Māori Party established by Turia and her supporters, saying that it would ultimately fail.

According to Tamihere, the party's leaders belonged "to a relatively wealthy, educated elite", and did not represent ordinary Maori.

In October 2004, Tamihere was accused of dishonest financial dealings, including accepting a "golden handshake" from the Waipareira Trust after stating that he would not take one, and failing to pay tax on this payment.

On 15 October 2004, Tamihere requested leave from his Ministerial portfolios; he said that he had "done nothing to bring shame", but portrayed standing down from his Ministerial roles during the investigation as the "honourable" course.

On 22 October, the Waipareira Trust accepted that it, not Tamihere, had the responsibility for tax on any payment, but other allegations relating to the financial management of the Trust persisted.

On 3 November Tamihere resigned from his Ministerial portfolios, citing as untenable the retention of his responsibilities during on-going investigations.

On 21 December, an official investigation cleared Tamihere of the tax charges, and on 14 March 2005, the Serious Fraud Office cleared him of the charges relating to his stewardship of the Waipareira Trust.

On 4 April 2005, the magazine Investigate published an interview in which Tamihere insulted the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers.

About Prime Minister Helen Clark he said, "But she's no good with emotions. She goes to pieces. She'll fold on the emotional side and walk away or not turn up. She knows it's going to get emotional and it upsets her. We've never had a great relationship".

Tamihere also made comments regarded as derogatory about other members of the Labour Party: Steve Maharey was called "smarmy" and lacking in substance, and Michael Cullen was depicted as cunning and manipulative.

Tamihere ran unsuccessfully for Auckland mayor in the 2019 election.

He joined the Māori Party in 2020 and from April to October 2020 was the party's co-leader.

He became president of the Māori Party in June 2022.