'Passing of the years' spurs Maori Party's guiding hand to retire

Whatarangi Winiata. Photo / Greg Bowker

According to the biography of Professor Whatarangi Winiata on the Maori Party website, he is a Wellington seniors rugby representative and next year he will head off to the United States to further his studies - not bad for a 74-year old.

There is just one problem - the article was written in 1960.

A Maori Party staffer laughs when this is pointed out. The party president is apparently reluctant to provide CVs outlining his achievements - something to do with humility.

At this weekend's annual meeting, Professor Winiata will stand down from the post he has held since the party was founded in 2004.

He says his retirement, two years into a three-year term, was prompted by a wish to spend more time with his wife and give his successor more time to settle into the job before an election year. "You begin to notice the passing of the years."

However, Professor Winiata was also clearly conscious of the impact on the party an exodus of experience would have, saying his decision to go was helped by co-leader Tariana Turia's indication she will stay on after the next election, reversing her original plan to retire.

"It is her leadership and experience, and the joint leadership she shares with Pita [Sharples], that are much more essential to the party than I am," the president said.

Professor Winiata will remain involved with the party at a less formal level, and its MPs will no doubt call him when in need of a sage head.

He has been instrumental in shepherding the party through its first term on the cross benches and into its governing arrangement with the National Party. Since then, he has also been a quiet but constant presence for the Maori Party's caucus.

He attends most caucus meetings - he says he does not talk much there - but the MPs note he does not hesitate to raise an eyebrow firmly when he disapproves of their actions.

He says that while others voiced disquiet about the decision to deal with National, he was impressed by the way National dealt with the negotiations.

"There was an openness to the discussions. They didn't walk away and into a corner to talk about difficult issues. They discussed it there, within our hearing range. I thought that was a very good sign."

Professor Winiata admits to some sadness at stepping down just a year after the party joined National and gained the chance to do more than just rail from the sidelines.

"I have enjoyed it. If I could just chip off a few years and had the same energy as 20 years ago, I'd be happy to stay - if they wanted me."

He is hopeful of a brighter future for Maori and Pakeha. He takes hope from his own experience in pushing for changes in the Anglican Church constitution - a 20-year process that initially met strong resistance but which he now believes genuinely reflects a Treaty "partnership".

In the shorter term, Professor Winiata says he expects some "novel solutions" when the Government releases its official response this year to the review of the contentious Foreshore and Seabed Act.

The professor will remain involved with Otaki-based Te Wananga o Raukawa, where he lectures and has research projects under way.