Author

Marama Fox is the Co-leader of the Māori Party and list MP based in Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, elected in the 2014 General Election. Prior to becoming a Member of Parliament, Marama worked for 26 years in the education sector; at the grassroots level in the classrooms, working her way up eventually becoming Principal, before working for the Ministry of Education as an advisor. Marama has taken on the role as advocate for indigenous rights in the New Zealand Parliament, following in the footsteps of not only her predecessors, Hon Dame Tariana Turia and Hon Sir Pita Sharples, founding Co-leaders of the Maori Party, but also from those who have advocated kaupapa Māori over the numerous decades to attain the array of Māori initiatives supporting Māori. –– Te Ururoa Flavell is of Ngāti Rangiwewehi (Te Arawa) and Ngāpuhi descent. Te Ururoa was raised in Rotorua and continues to live in his whānau homestead in Ngongotaha. He is married to Erana and they have five tamariki and two mokopuna. Te Ururoa holds a Bachelor of Arts (Māori Studies and Anthropology) from the University of Auckland, a Master of Arts (Māori) from Waikato University and is a former student of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo (Institute of Excellence in the Māori Language). Trained as a teacher, Te Ururoa taught for many years at both secondary and tertiary levels. He has also held leadership roles in education as a school principal, CEO at a whare wānanga and a consultant to various government agencies. Te Ururoa Flavell was first elected to Parliament as a Māori Party MP for the Waiariki electorate in 2005 and he has successfully held the seat for Waiariki since. He is currently the Māori Party Co-leader, the Minister for Māori Development, Minister for Whānau Ora and Associate Minister for Economic Development.