56 Facts About John Tamihere

John Henry Tamihere was born on 8 February 1959 and is a New Zealand politician, media personality, and political commentator.

John Tamihere was a member of Parliament from 1999 to 2005, including serving as a Cabinet minister in the Labour Party from August 2002 to November 2004.

John Tamihere joined the Maori Party in 2020 and from April to October 2020 was the party's co-leader.

John Tamihere became president of the Maori Party in June 2022.

John Tamihere is a brother to convicted murderer David Tamihere.

John Tamihere rated Weal as his most influential teacher, and said that Weal would link things to politics and, in particular, to New Zealand's agricultural policies.

John Tamihere gained arts and law degrees from the University of Auckland, being the first person in his family to attend university.

In 1991, John Tamihere became the chief executive of the Waipareira Trust, a trust that provides health and education services to Maori in the Auckland region.

John Tamihere served as chairman of the New Zealand Maori Rugby League Board.

John Tamihere won the seat with 60 percent of the vote; his nearest rival gained only 15 percent.

John Tamihere became chairman of the Maori Affairs Select Committee and served on the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee.

John Tamihere gained the second-highest majority in a Maori electorate, exceeded only by that of Parekura Horomia, the Minister of Maori Affairs.

John Tamihere served as Minister of Small Business, Minister of Youth Affairs, Minister of Statistics, and Minister for Land Information, as well as functioning as Horomia's deputy as Associate Minister of Maori Affairs until 2004.

Journalist Vernon Small said that "in the mid-2000s John Tamihere was seen as a rising star, and even a potential prime minister".

John Tamihere eventually voted in favour of the legislation, and defended it from its critics.

John Tamihere criticised the new Maori Party established by Turia and her supporters, saying that it would ultimately fail.

In October 2004, John Tamihere was accused of dishonest financial dealings, including accepting a "golden handshake" from the Waipareira Trust after stating that he would not take one, and failing to pay tax on this payment.

On 15 October 2004, John Tamihere requested leave from his Ministerial portfolios; he said that he had "done nothing to bring shame", but portrayed standing down from his Ministerial roles during the investigation as the "honourable" course.

On 4 April 2005, the magazine Investigate published an interview in which John Tamihere insulted the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers.

John Tamihere knows it's going to get emotional and it upsets her.

John Tamihere made comments regarded as derogatory about other members of the Labour Party: Steve Maharey was called "smarmy" and lacking in substance, and Michael Cullen was depicted as cunning and manipulative.

John Tamihere denies that the interview he gave was on the record, a claim disputed by the journalist in question.

Helen Clark speculated on John Tamihere's having had a "liquid lunch", and indicated that a return to cabinet for John Tamihere was no longer certain.

John Tamihere was advised to take leave to consider his position, and began attempting to mend relations with his colleagues.

John Tamihere was reported as being highly critical of women leaders, saying that they achieved their position through preferential treatment.

John Tamihere stated that he was "sick and tired of hearing how many Jews got gassed" in the Holocaust, saying that while he found the Holocaust revolting, he believed that repeated mention of it was simply used to make people "feel guilty".

John Tamihere alleged that Clayton Cosgrove, previously believed to be one of Tamihere's closest allies in the party, had conducted a "nasty" campaign of telephone harassment against Clark and her husband when Clark deposed Mike Moore as party leader in 1993.

John Tamihere apologised for his comments and was censured by the meeting, but was not asked to resign from the party.

John Tamihere was voted back onto the board by members of the trust, but the board itself tried to remove him by changing the governance rules.

John Tamihere announced that the Maori Party would be boycotting The Herald.

John Tamihere is well known for his trenchant political commentaries on television, radio and through other media.

Jackson and John Tamihere asked her why and how much the girls had been drinking, and why they were out late at night.

Jackson returned in early 2014 with new co-host Alison Mau, replacing John Tamihere, who did not return.

In October 2012, John Tamihere made moves to resume his parliamentary career by indicating that he would like to stand again for the Labour Party in the 2014 election, but his name was not on Labour's list.

On 17 November 2012, John Tamihere was barred from the Labour Party Annual Conference after criticising the party for being "too focused on issues like gay marriage".

John Tamihere stood, but narrowly missed out, for a seat on the Waitemata District Health Board, which covers the North Shore and Rodney areas.

John Tamihere did not seek election to any local government positions in 2016.

John Tamihere ran unsuccessfully for Auckland mayor in the 2019 election.

John Tamihere used the term "Sieg Heil" during a debate.

Also during the campaign, John Tamihere made a complaint over three social media posts posted by Phil Goff, but the complaints were rejected by the Advertising Standards Authority.

In 2020, John Tamihere joined the Maori Party, and in April 2020 he was announced as the party's co-leader along with Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.

John Tamihere was the Maori Party's candidate for the electorate of Tamaki Makaurau and was seventh on the party list.

John Tamihere said he would vote yes in the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum that was held alongside the 2020 general election, but would rather cannabis was only decriminalised rather than legalised.

John Tamihere narrowly failed to unseat incumbent Labour MP for Tamaki Makaurau Peeni Henare and did not enter Parliament.

On 8 June 2022, John Tamihere succeeded Che Wilson as president of the Maori Party.

John Tamihere came fifth place, with Labour's Phil Twyford winning the electorate.

John Tamihere accused Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki of attempting to take over Manurewa Marae.

John Tamihere has a high public profile, much of it derived from his beliefs on a number of issues.

John Tamihere has made a significant impact in Maori politics by campaigning on behalf of "Urban Maori", who often have no remaining links to their iwi or hapu.

John Tamihere has condemned modern iwi organisations as "new feudal tribal constructs", dominated by an elite group far removed from the majority of Maori.

John Tamihere has attracted both criticism and praise for his views on Maori self-sufficiency.

John Tamihere has expressed concern that the National-led coalition government's boot camp programme would fail without long-term support.

John Tamihere was convicted for three drink driving and other driving offences between 1978 and 1995, according to the National Business Review.

In May 2005, John Tamihere was cautioned by the New Zealand SPCA after he left two cats when he moved house.

The clinic is operated by the Waipareira Trust, for which John Tamihere is the chief executive.

John Tamihere refused an interview request and said it was an employment matter.