New Zealand lost a leader last fortnight, a Member of Parliament who dedicated his life to serving the people of this country.
I lost a true friend and valued colleague.
Parekura Horomia was just 62 when he died on April 29, 2013. But he packed so much into his lifetime.
He was born in Tolaga Bay and grew up steeped in the culture of his Ngati Porou, Te Aitanga a Hauiti heritage.
At school, he excelled in sports, particularly boxing, and was a former East Coast boxing champ. He also played Rugby, representing East Coast, and played in the Parliamentary Rugby Team.
Several of his Parliamentary colleagues know well how good he was at the game, having been on the wrong end of one of his famous blocks.
Various jobs
His first jobs included stints as a fencer, shearer, scrub-cutter, farm manager and newspaper printer.
He was someone who knew the value of hard graft and never forgot it even as he rose through the ranks into leadership roles within the public sector.
Parekura was elected to Parliament in 1999.
As Maori Affairs Minister, he never forgot his roots and worked tirelessly to create, as he put it “a better lot for our Maori people.”
That crossed over into creating a better lot for all New Zealanders. That was the sort of man Parekura was. He wanted a better New Zealand for everyone.
A big man
It might be a cliché, but Parekura really was a big man in every way. He had immense mana, not only among Maori but across the political and cultural spectrums.
It was the measure of the man that his tangi had to be moved forward a day to allow time for the thousands of people who wanted to pay their respects to get to the marae.
Parekura was funny, warm, compassionate and passionate. He described himself as a “good old Maori boy who likes a boil-up.” He was that and so much more.
New Zealand will miss him and I am going to miss a mate.
David Shearer is Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition. Parekura Horomia was a widower and left behind his three sons. More than 1000 people attended his funeral held on May 4, 2013 at Hauiti Marae. We were honoured to know him well and hence conveyed our condolences on our behalf to his bereaved family. Read Prime Minister John Key’s tribute in this Section.
