John Tamihere
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The Honourable John Tamihere |
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Hauraki |
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In office 1999–2002 |
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| Preceded by | new electorate |
| Succeeded by | electorate abolished |
| Majority | 7,238 (14.51%) |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau |
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In office 2002–2005 |
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| Preceded by | new electorate |
| Succeeded by | Pita Sharples |
| Majority | 9,444 (60.52%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1959 Auckland |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
John Henry Tamihere (born 1959) is a New Zealand former politician, media personality and political commentator. He was member of Parliament 1999-2005. He served as a Cabinet minister in the Labour Party from August 2002 to 3 November 2004. He was intending to stand again for Parliament in the 2014 election but decided not to.
Tamihere was born in 1959 in Auckland as the 10th of 12 children to a Māori father of Ngāti Porou, Whakatohea and Tainui descent, and a mother of Irish and Scottish descent. He is brother to convicted murderer David Tamihere. He 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. John Tamihere rated Tom Weal as his most influential teacher. Tamihere said that Mr Weal would link things to politics and, in particular, to New Zealand's agricultural policies. He would emphasise that grass was the most important New Zealand crop as it was the basis of the wool, meat and dairy industries. Mr Weal alerted John Tamihere to the impact that Britain's joining the European Common market would have on New Zealand's economy and society. 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 John 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, which provided 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.
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