Pita Paraone
Pita Paraone party list | |
|---|---|
| In office 22 July 2002 – 8 November 2008 | |
| In office 21 September 2014 – 23 September 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rewiti Pomare Kingi Paraone 30 November 1945 Kawakawa, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 August 2019 (aged 73) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | New Zealand First |
Rewiti Pomare Kingi "Pita" Paraone
Early life and family
Paraone was born on 30 November 1945 in
Before entering politics, Paraone had a long career in public service spanning several decades.[1] He was a regional director for Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Maori Development.[1] In the 1997 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori and the community.[2] He lived in Pakuranga during his first period in parliament.[3]
Paraone was married with three children.[1]
Political career
| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2005 | 47th | List | 7 | NZ First | |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | List | 7 | NZ First | |
| 2014–2017 | 51st | List | 8 | NZ First | |
Before entering parliament, Paraone was a board member of New Zealand First (1999–2000) and a member of the Board of Directors (2000–2002).[1]
He stood in the 1999 election in the Pakuranga electorate but was unsuccessful.[4] He was ranked 19th on the New Zealand First party list, which was too low to be elected from the list.[5] He was first elected to Parliament as a list MP in the 2002 election. In the 2008 general election Paraone was sixth on the New Zealand First list, but the party lost all its parliamentary seats, winning no electorates and polling below the 5% threshold.[3]
In December 2009 he was elected a Chairman of the Waitangi National Trust Board, replacing Jeremy Williams. Paraone has been on the board of the Waitangi National Trust since 1997.[6]
In 2014, Paraone was re-elected as a New Zealand First list MP and was his party spokesperson on Māori Affairs, Treaty of Waitangi Issues, Pacific Island Affairs, and the Office of Treaty Settlements.[7][8] At the 2017 election however, Paraone was ranked 11th on the New Zealand First list and was not returned to Parliament.[9][10] Paraone publicly encouraged his party to support the formation of Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand.[7][10] He was appointed chair of the Local Government Commission in November 2018 and held this appointment until his death.
Death
Paraone died in Auckland on 26 August 2019.[11] He had undergone cardiac surgery just three weeks prior, but had failed to recover.[12] The incumbent Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, offered his condolences, stating that he was "deeply saddened" by the death.[13]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Pita Paraone". New Zealand Parliament. 8 November 2008. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ^ "New Year honours list 1997". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1996. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
- ^ a b Dinsdale, Mike (29 September 2014). "MP returns vowing to push for North". The Northern Advocate. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
- ^ "Candidate vote details – Pakuranga". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
- ^ "Waitangi Trust Board has new chairman". The New Zealand Herald. Newstalk ZB. 12 December 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
- ^ a b Satherley, Dan (26 August 2019). "Former New Zealand First MP Pita Paraone dies aged 73". Newshub. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Paraone, Pita – New Zealand Parliament". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Party Lists of Successful Registered Parties". electionresults.govt.nz. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ a b Jones, Nicholas (15 October 2017). "Outgoing NZ First MP: 'I feel the winds of change'". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- ^ "Ngāti Hine in mourning after death of Waitangi stalwart, Pita Paraone". RNZ News. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ^ "Ngāti Hine in mourning after death of Waitangi stalwart Pita Paraone". Stuff. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
External links
- Current parliamentary biography for Pita Paraone