Matiu Rata

Hon. Matiu Rata MP
32nd Minister of Māori Affairs
In office 8 December 1972 – 12 December 1975
Preceded by	Duncan MacIntyre
Succeeded by	Duncan MacIntyre
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Northern Maori
In office 1963 – 1980
Preceded by	Tapihana Paraire Paikea
Succeeded by	Bruce Gregory
Personal details
Born	New Zealand 1934 Te Hāpua, New Zealand
Died	1997 (aged 62–63)
Political party	New Zealand Labour Party Mana Motuhake

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1963–1966	Labour
1966–1969	Labour
1969–1972	Labour
1972–1975	Labour
1975–1978	Labour
1978–1979	39th	Northern Maori		Labour
1979–1980	39th	Northern Maori		Independent

Matiu Rata (1934–1997) was a New Zealand Māori politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Northern Maori from 1963 to 1979, the Minister of Lands and Minister of Māori Affairs in the Third Labour Government of New Zealand between 1972 and 1975. He was the architect of both the Māori Affairs Amendment Act of 1974, which gave Māori greater control over their land, and the 1975 Waitangi Tribunal.

In 1979 he resigned from the Labour Party. In 1980 he resigned from Parliament and formed the Mana Motuhake Party to contest the resulting by-election. He was defeated by Bruce Gregory, but came second with 991 fewer votes.

Following his exit from Parliament Matiu Rata was the leader of the Muriwhenua in presenting their Treaty of Waitangi claims to the Waitangi Tribunal, resulting in a settlement of Māori fishing claims for the tribes of the Far North. Matiu Rata had a wife named Nelly Rata and 2 children named Matthew Rata and Mary-Anne Rata. Matiu Rata died a year before his grandchild, Taylah-Rose Rata.

External links

• Maori Leaders

Political offices
Preceded by Duncan MacIntyre	Minister of Māori Affairs 1972–1975	Succeeded by Duncan MacIntyre
Parliament of New Zealand
Preceded by Tapihana Paraire Paikea	Member of Parliament for Northern Maori 1963–1980	Succeeded by Bruce Gregory

Persondata
Name	Rata, Matiu
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1934
Place of birth	Te Hāpua, New Zealand
Date of death	1997
Place of death