Hon Tariana Turia

Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector

Hon Tariana Turia is of Nga Wairiki, Ngati Apa, Nga Rauru, Tuwharetoa and Whanganui decent. She is co-Leader of the Maori Party and the Crown Minister Responsible for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Whanau Ora, Disability Issues and Associate Minister of Social Development and Health.

Mrs Turia was first elected to Parliament in 1996 and is the MP for the Te Tai Hauauru electorate. In 2004, she formed the Maori Party and in 2008 the Party signed a confidence and supply agreement with the National Government.

Prior to entering Parliament Mrs Turia was chief executive of Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority, the longest and largest Maori Health Service provider in the Central Region.

She had also worked as a service broker for Te Puni Kokiri, manager of the Whaioranga Iwi Social Services Unit, manager of the Whanganui Regional Development Board Trust and was the Maori Affairs Southern Regional co-ordinator for Maori Access training programmes.

Mrs Turia was also a member of an evaluation team for first pilot cervical screening project for Maori women, a member of two task forces to establish kura kaupapa Maori and member of a team that established the Te Awa Youth Trust.