Pita Sharples

Sir Pita Sharples
Sharples in 2024
42nd Minister of Māori Affairs
In office
19 November 2008 (2008-11-19)  8 October 2014
Prime MinisterJohn Key
Preceded byParekura Horomia
Succeeded byTe 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 byPosition established
Succeeded byTe Ururoa Flavell
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Tāmaki Makaurau
In office
5 October 2005  20 August 2014
Preceded byJohn Tamihere
Succeeded byPeeni Henare
Majority2127 (11.11%)
Personal details
Born (1941-07-20) 20 July 1941
Waipawa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Political partyMāori Party

Sir Pita Russell Sharples KNZM CBE (born Peter Russell Sharples, 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 of the Māori Party in July 2013.