New book captures the principled politics of Hon Dame Tariana Turia

23 November 2015

The Māori Party is proud to celebrate the launch of Hon Dame Tariana Turia’s biography Crossing the Floor in Parliament today.

Māori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell was inspired to enter Parliament after seeing Tariana Turia cross the floor over the Seabed and Foreshore Bill and says she continues to be “a huge inspiration to the Māori Party as we move forward”.

“She didn’t come to Parliament to gain fame and fortune. She had a job to do – and that was to be the best advocate for her people; to do what was right, not what was popular. Having walked alongside her for the past ten years, I can attest to her single-mindedness to be of service to our people,” says Mr Flavell.

The book provides remarkable personal insights into Tariana’s development as a young wāhine growing up in the Whanganui region and it tracks her political career, both in the community and during her nineteen years in Parliament.

Māori Party Co-leader Marama Fox says, “The emergence of the Māori Party in 2004 following her brave stand was the beginning of Politics with a capital ‘P’ for me and many others. I, like thousands of others, have stood in awe of her courage and staunch determination.”

Tariana entered Parliament in 1996 as a List MP for the Labour Party before forming the Māori Party in 2004 alongside founding co-leader Hon Dr Sir Pita Sharples.

Mr Flavell says, “Without Tariana’s immense personal courage it is unlikely that the Māori Party would have emerged. It has survived more than a decade as this country’s only indigenous political party in Parliament.”

Tariana is widely acclaimed for her contribution to widespread tobacco reform, the establishment of Whānau Ora and her extensive advocacy for the health, community and disability sectors.

Mrs Fox says the book has been beautifully crafted by former Māori Party Chief of Staff Helen Leahy.

“If there was ever going to be someone who could, and would write this story it was going to be Helen. She has captured the passion, beliefs and the aroha Tariana has for people.”

The book has been published by Huia Publishers.

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