Wira Gardiner

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Harawira "Wira" Tiri Gardiner, KNZM (born 1945) is a former professional soldier, senior public servant and writer. He is of Māori descent, his tribal affiliations are Ngati Awa, Ngati Pikiao, Whakatohea and Te Whanau-a-Apanui.

Gardiner was brought up under whāngai, the Māori custom of open adoption. He received his secondary education in Whakatane and his tertiary education at the University of Canterbury (BA) and at King's College London (MA War Studies). Gardiner is married to National MP Hekia Parata. They have two children together and Gardiner has three other children from a previous marriage to former MP Pauline Gardiner.

For twenty years Gardiner served in the New Zealand Army as a professional soldier. He saw active service in South Vietnam. He retired from the army in 1983 at the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Gardiner's public service career spanned 12 years from 1983-1995. During that time he was founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, the founding (and only) General Manager of the Iwi Transition Agency and the founding chief executive of the Ministry of Māori Development (Te Puni Kokiri). He has also been National Director of Civil Defence, Chair of Te Mangai Paho, and deputy chairman of Te Ohu Kaimoana, the trust responsible for advancing the interests of iwi in the development of fisheries. He is the fourth ministerial appointee to the Council of Te Wananga o Aotearoa, and is deputy chair of council at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.

...
Wikipedia