Tama Potaka

Tama Potaka is the Minister for Māori Development, Minister for Whānau Ora, Minister of Conservation, Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti, and Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing). He is the MP for Hamilton West. 

He has had a diverse career across legal, public service, education, advisory, tribal development, investment, charities and enterprise.  He was the chief executive of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki prior to entering politics. He has also worked as a senior advisor to the NZ Super Fund and spent more than seven years as a general manager at Tainui Group Holdings in Hamilton. Tama played a pivotal role in many of the Waikato-Tainui developments in the city and driving results for the city and region. 

Tama has a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and Māori Studies) and a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) from Victoria University and a Master of Laws from Columbia University. 

Tama is married to Ariana and they have three children – Tiaria, Te Awarua and Aorangi. He is proudly from Rangitīkei, Ruapehu, Whanganui, Taranaki, Horowhenua, Hawke’s Bay and the Central North Island – and is a Chiefs fan.  Tama and his whānau have been involved in charities around health and wellbeing, culture and education. He likes supporting his whānau in cultural and educational activities, and can sometimes be found with his boys at the St Andrew's Golf Club. 

In his first two terms as MP for Hamilton West, Tama led the considerable reduction in whānau and particularly children living in emergency housing in Hamilton, and advocated for the establishment of the Waikato Medical School.