Georgina te Heuheu

The Honourable Georgina te Heuheu QSO
Minister for Courts
In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2011
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Rick Barker
Succeeded by	Chester Borrows
Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2011
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Winnie Laban
Succeeded by	Hekia Parata
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for National Party List
In office 1996–2011
Personal details
Born	1943
Nationality	New Zealand
Political party	National Party
Occupation	Lawyer

Georgina Manunui te Heuheu QSO (born 1943) is a Māori descent of Tūhoe, Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa and Ngāti Awa. MP in the New Zealand National Party and a Cabinet Minister in the New Zealand Government.

Born Georgina Manunui in 1943, she is the daughter of George Manunui of Waitahanui. She is a member of the Ngāti Tuwharetoa tribe of the central North Island and is also related to Te Arawa and Tuhoe tribes. She was born and raised at Taurewa, near Mount Tongariro, and received her secondary schooling at Turakina Maori Girls' College (1956–59) and Auckland Girls' Grammar School (1960–61). She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in English and an LLB, being the first Māori woman to gain a law degree and be admitted to the High Court as barrister and solicitor.

Before being elected to Parliament, te Heuheu practised law in Wellington and Rotorua. She was a member of the Waitangi Tribunal (1986–96).

Georgina te Heuheu was first elected to Parliament in 1996.

She was the Minister for Courts and for Women's Affairs (1998–1999) during the Fourth National Party Government.

Speculation about her future arose in 2004 after she criticised a speech by leader Don Brash. Questioned some weeks later, she refused to rule out the possibility that she might switch allegiance to the new Māori Party, which had formed after the resignation of Tariana Turia.

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