Pita Sharples

The Honourable Sir Pita Sharples KNZM CBE
Pita Sharples in 2012
42nd Minister of Māori Affairs
In office 19 November 2008 (2008-11-19) – 8 October 2014
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Parekura Horomia
Succeeded by	Te Ururoa Flavell (As Minister for Māori Development)
Co-leader of the Māori Party
In office 7 July 2004 (2004-07-07) – 13 July 2013
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Te Ururoa Flavell
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau
In office 5 October 2005 – 20 August 2014
Preceded by	John Tamihere
Succeeded by	Peeni Henare
Majority	2127 (11.11%)
Personal details
Born	(1941-07-20) 20 July 1941 (age 83) Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Political party	Māori Party

Sir Pita Russell Sharples KNZM CBE (born Peter Russell Sharples,^[1] 20 July 1941) is a New Zealand Māori academic and politician, who was a co-leader of the Māori Party from 2004 to 2013, and a minister outside Cabinet in the National Party-led government from 2008 to 2014. He was the member of Parliament for the Tāmaki Makaurau electorate in Auckland from 2005 to 2014. He stepped down as co-leader role of the Māori Party in July 2013.