12 Facts About Mahara Okeroa

Te Whakamaharatanga Okeroa was born on 1946 and is a former New Zealand politician of the New Zealand Labour Party.

Mahara Okeroa represented the Te Tai Tonga Maori electorate as a Member of Parliament from 1999 to 2008.

Mahara Okeroa has iwi affiliations to Te Atiawa, Ngati Maniapoto, Taranaki, Ngati Ruanui and Nga Rauru.

Mahara Okeroa trained and worked as a teacher before joining the Ministry of Education as a Maori education advisor and Te Puni Kokiri as director for the Taranaki region.

Mahara Okeroa sought the Labour Party candidacy in Te Tai Hauauru in 1998, but lost to Labour list MP Nanaia Mahuta.

Mahara Okeroa was instead selected for Te Tai Tonga, the Maori electorate covering the South Island and Wellington city.

Mahara Okeroa was successful, defeating the incumbent Tu Wyllie of the New Zealand First Party.

Mahara Okeroa declined to re-enter Parliament as a list MP after the resignation of Darren Hughes in 2011 and did not stand for the general election later that year.

Mahara Okeroa was succeeded as Labour's Te Tai Tonga candidate by Rino Tirikatene.

Mahara Okeroa was elected to the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust in 2009 and succeeded Sir Ngatata Love as chair in October 2012 after the latter was removed, following a Serious Fraud Office investigation.

Mahara Okeroa held the chair until October 2013 when he was replaced by Neville Baker.

Mahara Okeroa has been a trustee of the Wellington Tenths Trust.