Tama Potaka

Tama William Potaka (born 8 January 1976) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives representing the Hamilton West electorate. He is a member of the National Party and was chief executive of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki before entering Parliament.

Early life and career

Potaka was born in Raetihi in 1976. He has Māori ancestry through both of his parents, who were schoolteachers, and he affiliates to Ngāti Hauiti, Whanganui, Taranaki, and Ngāti Toa. He was educated at Huntley School and Te Aute College, where he was classmates with Julian Wilcox, Aidan Warren, Billy Weepu, Karl Te Nana and Alistair Toto and became dux in 1993. He received Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from Victoria University of Wellington in 1999, and with a scholarship earned a Master of Laws from Columbia University. He passed the bar exam and became an attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City.

Potaka is a graduate of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori

Potaka worked for Rudd, Watts and Stone (now Minter Ellison), various public policy roles, with Lake Taupō Funds, and Bell Gully. Potaka then spent seven years based in Hamilton, working as general manager corporate services for Tainui Group Holdings. He subsequently moved back to Auckland where he was a senior advisor at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. He was appointed chief executive officer of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Trust in 2020. In 2021, he was chosen as one of four lead negotiators for the Mōkai Pātea Treaty of Waitangi claim.

Political career

First term, 2022–2023

On 6 November 2022, Potaka was selected as the National Party candidate for the 2022 Hamilton West by-election caused by the resignation of independent MP Gaurav Sharma who had been expelled from the Labour Party. During the by-election campaign, Potaka stated that Hamilton had become known as the " ramraid capital of New Zealand" in response to the nationwide surge in ram raids in 2022. He also said that he wanted "Hamilton West to be the best city to grow up and grow old in."

On 10 December 2022, Potaka won the election, beating Labour candidate Georgie Dansey. Potaka gained 6974 votes compared to Dansey's 4541, a margin of 2433.

On 19 January 2023, Potaka was named as National's spokesperson for Māori development and associate spokesperson for housing.

Second term, 2023–present

During the 2023 New Zealand general election held on 14 October, Potaka retained Hamilton West by a margin of 6,488 votes over Labour candidate Myra Williamson.

Following the formation of the Sixth National Government of New Zealand, Potaka was appointed as Minister of Conservation, Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti, Minister for Māori Development, Minister for Whānau Ora, and Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing)

Māori issues

On 15 January 2024, Potaka and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with the Māori King Tūheitia Paki to discuss several of the Government's policies concerning Māori including the proposed Treaty Principles legislation and plans to roll back the use of Māori language in the public service. On 20 January, Potaka and fellow National MP Dan Bidois attended a national hui of unity convened by King Tūheitia at Turangawaewae Marae. Potaka defended Luxon's decision not to attend the national hui and disputed several of the speakers' claims that the Government was underpinned by White supremacy.

On 13 August 2024, Potaka as Minister for Māori Crown Relations announced that Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry for Māori Development) would assume Te Arawhiti's (the Office for Māori Crown Relations) monitoring and Treaty settlements compliance functions. This decision was criticised by Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, the Green Party's Māori Crown Relations spokesperson Steve Abel and the Labour Party's Peeni Henare, who described it as a "backward step" in the New Zealand Crown's relationship with Māori.

On 17 January 2025, Potaka as Minister for Māori Development announced an overhaul of the Waitangi Tribunal's membership. He appointed eight new members including Rangitāne Tū Mai Rā Trust general manager Tipene Crisp, lawyer and New Zealand On Air board member Philip Crump, Ngāti Raukawa Treaty negotiator Vanessa Eparaima, veteran public servant Rex Edward Hale, Manawatū District Councillor Grant Hadfield, Tupuora Education founder and managing director Kingi Kiriona, former Defence Minister and Mayor of Carterton Ron Mark, and University of Waikato law Professor Tafaoimalo Tologata Leilani Tuala-Warren. In addition, Potaka renewed the warrants of six existing Tribunal members including Ruakere Hond, Derek Fox, Kim Ngarimu, Hana O'Regan, Pou Temara and Kevin Prime. In response, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
described the removal of several well known Māori academics as a "whitewash." In response, Potaka said that Ngarewa-Packer's comments were "unhelpful" and "undermined the knowledge and experience of the new appointees."

On 9 May 2025 Potaka, in his capacity as Māori Development Minister, announced that an "independent technical advisory group" would review the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975, which governs the scope of the Waitangi Tribunal. The National-led government had committed to reviewing the scope of the Waitangi Tribunal as part of its coalition agreements with the allied ACT and New Zealand First parties.

Conservation

On 3 September 2024, Potaka as Minister of Conservation and Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Matt Doocey announced that the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) would be increased to NZ$100 to fund tourism-related infrastructure and services. On 14 October, Potaka as Minister of Conservation announced 19 new marine protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf

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