Hon Hekia Parata named as new Minister of Pacific Island Affairs
We welcome Hon Hekia Parata as the new Minister of Pacific Island Affairs. She is also the new Minister of Education.
Minister Parata was previously Minister of Women’s Affairs, the Minister for Ethnic Affairs, the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, and Associate Minister for ACC and for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
Minister Parata grew up in Ruatoria and is of Ngati Porou and Ngai Tahu descent.
She has lived and worked in Wellington for most of the past 30 years during which she has worked in the both the public and private sectors, holding senior policy and management positions and running a successful consultancy company with her husband Sir Wira Gardiner advising clients in New Zealand and internationally.
She has represented New Zealand at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, DC, and at a number of multinational forums including the South Pacific Forum, the United Nations Forum and the World Bank Forum.
Minister Parata has been in Parliament since 2008. She is married to Sir Wira and they have two teenage daughters.
Click here for more information from Hon Hekia Parata.
