Story: Political parties

Mana Motuhake founder

Mana Motuhake founder

Matiu Rata, founder and leader of Mana Motuhake, was an important figure in the third Labour government (1972–75). As minister of Māori Affairs he introduced legislation setting up the Waitangi Tribunal, and returned to the owners control of a significant amount of Māori land. In 1980 he resigned from the Labour Party and formed Mana Motuhake. Rata was killed in a car crash in 1997. By that time he was not deeply involved in Mana Motuhake, which was then led by Sandra Lee, who had become the party’s first member of Parliament in 1993.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Evening Post Collection (PAColl-0614)
Reference: 1/4-021374-F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jennifer Curtin and Raymond Miller, 'Political parties - Small parties of the 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/34326/mana-motuhake-founder (accessed 18 April 2024)

Story by Jennifer Curtin and Raymond Miller, published 20 Jun 2012, reviewed & revised 21 Jul 2015