Mita Ririnui

New Zealand Parliament

The Honourable Mita Ririnui MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour party list
In office 2005–2011
Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
1999 –2002	46th	Waiariki	47		Labour
2002 –2005	47th	Waiariki	32		Labour
2005 –2008	48th	List	15		Labour
2008 –2011	49th	List	23		Labour

Ririnui was originally elected to Parliament as the MP for the Māori electorate of Waiariki, winning the 1999 election from Tuariki Delamere. He retained the seat in 2002. However, in the 2005 election, he lost his electorate seat to Te Ururoa Flavell of the Māori Party and remained in Parliament as a list MP.

At the beginning of his second term as an MP, Ririnui was appointed a Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the ministers responsible for Conservation, Corrections and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations; in July 2004, his Conservation portfolio was replaced with Health. In December 2004 Ririnui instead became a Minister outside Cabinet, as a Minister of State with Associate Ministerial roles in the Corrections, Health, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, and Forestry portfolios, and held these roles until the defeat of the Labour government in 2008. ^[2] He also chaired the Labour Party's internal Maori Caucus.

Labour was defeated in the 2008 general election, meaning that Ririnui was unable to retain his ministerial positions. He was unsuccessful at regaining Waiariki, but his list placing of 23 ensured his return to Parliament on the Labour list.

On 14 June 2010, four days after the release of ministerial credit card records, Ririnui along with two other MPs Chris Carter and Shane Jones were demoted by Opposition Leader Phil Goff for misuse of such credit cards. In the case of Ririnui, he was accused of purchasing items such as golf clubs and a bike which violate the rules regarding the usage of ministerial credit cards. Ririnui reimbursed Ministerial Services at the time for the purchases. Ririnui's demotion included the loss of the shadow portfolio of Forestry. ^[3]

In February 2011, Ririnui announced that he would retire at the 2011 election. ^[4]

Ngāti Whakahemo

Since 2013, Mita Ririnui has been involved in a treaty claim by Ngāti Whakahemo. He is currently the chairman of the Ngāti Whakahemo Iwi Authority and the Ngāti Whakahemo Claims Committee. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. "Mita Ririnui". New Zealand Labour Party. Archived from the original on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
2. "Hon Mita Ririnui". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
3. "Goff demotes three MPs over credit card misuse". The New Zealand Herald. 14 June 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
4. "Mita Ririnui: Time for new challenges". New Zealand Labour Party. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
5. Te Puni Kokiri. "Ngāti Whakahemo". Te Kahui Mangai. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
6. "New Zealand World Politics Pacific Te Ao Māori Sport Business Country Local Democracy Reporting Comment & Analysis In Depth Weather Te Ao Māori 4 Dec 2013 Ngati Whakahemo has no claim - Landcorp". Radio New Zealand. 4 December 2013.

New Zealand Parliament
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Waiariki 1999–2005	Succeeded by Te Ururoa Flavell