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 (1934-03-26)26 March 1934 Te Hāpua, New Zealand
Died	25 July 1997(1997-07-25) (aged 63)
Political party	New Zealand Labour Party Mana Motuhake

Matiu Rata (26 March 1934 – 25 July 1997) was a New Zealand Māori politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Northern Maori from a 1963 by-election to 1980, 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 three children: James Rata, Matthew Rata and Mary-Anne Rata. Matiu Rata died a year before his grandchild, Taylah-Rose Rata.

External links

• Maori Leaders