Koro Tainui WÃÂtere (22 June 1935 â 23 June 2018) was a New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1969 to 1996, representing the Labour Party. He served as Minister of MÃÂori Affairs in the Fourth Labour Government (1984âÂÂ1990).
Born at Oparure, near Te Kà «iti, on 22 June 1935, WÃÂtere was the son of Weo Maruatara WÃÂtere and Te Aorangi WÃÂtere (née Eketone), and affiliated to the NgÃÂti Maniapoto iwi. He was educated at Te Kà «iti High School and Massey University, and was ordained a minister (ÃÂpotoro rÃÂhita or registered apostle) of the RÃÂtana Church, serving as parish minister for Oparure, Te Kà «iti and Piopio in the 1960s.
In 1960, WÃÂtere married Nedracita Takuora Edwards, and the couple went on to have five children.
WÃÂtere joined the Labour Party in 1957, and was first elected to Parliament in the 1969 election as MP for the Western Maori electorate, one of the four MÃÂori electorates in New Zealand's House of Representatives. Given Labour's traditional dominance in the MÃÂori electorates, WÃÂtere held his position without difficulty until his retirement at the 1996 election. In 1976 he was promoted by Labour leader Bill Rowling and made Shadow Minister of Forests. Three years later he was given the Maori Affairs and Lands portfolios instead.
WÃÂtere became Minister of MÃÂori Affairs when the Labour Party won the 1984 election, serving in that role until 1990. He also served as Minister of Lands, Minister of Forestry, and the Minister in charge of the Valuation Department between 1984 and 1987, and the Minister in charge of the Iwi Transition Agency between 1989 and 1990.
WÃÂtere was criticised during the MÃÂori loan affair of 1985âÂÂ86, and was nearly asked to resign. Tamati Reedy, the head of WÃÂtere's department, Te Puni Kokiri, was solicited to arrange an unauthorised overseas loan for MÃÂori businesses by a conman with ties to the Central Intelligence Agency. WÃÂtere was the subject of strong attacks over the issue by National Party MP Winston Peters- who refused to acknowledge the CIA connections of his sources- but denied any wrongdoing. In 1990 WÃÂtere refused to translate his addresses to parliament into English, having given them in MÃÂori. This was one of a number of steps which pushed the issue of the use of MÃÂori in public life during this time. There are now arrangements for simultaneous interpretation between English and MÃÂori in Parliament.
When Labour lost power in the 1990 election, WÃÂtere returned to opposition for two terms before retiring from politics. He was Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs from 1990 to 1996 under Mike Moore and later Helen Clark. Never a supporter of Clark, WÃÂtere was one of several frontbenchers who was part of a delegation met with Clark in her office prior to a caucus meeting in 1996 persuading her to stand down and informing her (in a ruse) that they had the numbers to oust her as leader (in favour of Phil Goff) if she refused. Clark defied Goff and his supporters, and ultimately remained leader.
WÃÂtere died in Te Kà «iti on 23 June 2018, one day after his 83rd birthday.
WÃÂtere was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, and the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. In the 1996 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the MÃÂori people.
The University of Waikato awarded WÃÂtere an honorary doctorate for his contributions to the well-being and the advancement of MÃÂori affairs in Aotearoa in 1999, and a lifetime achievement award, Te Tohu Whakamaharatanga ki Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu, in 2008.
WÃÂtere suffered from gout. In 2001, WÃÂtere was convicted of drink driving.