Pita Sharples
| Parl. | Electorate | List Pos. | Party |
| 48th | Tamaki Makaurau | 2 | Māori Party |
Dr. Pita Russell Sharples
Sharples, of the Ngati Kahungunu iwi, was born in Waipawa, a town in Hawke's Bay. He received his early education at Waipukurau District High School and then at Te Aute College. He then attended the University of Auckland, studying education. After graduating, he remained at the University as an instructor, and currently works as a Professor of Education.
In addition to his academic work, Sharples has long advocated a separate Māori political party. After the foreshore and seabed controversy flared in 2003–2004, Sharples joined forces with Tariana Turia, a minister in the Labour Party government who resigned over the issue. Turia and Sharples began to organize a new party based around Turia's Te Tai Hauauru seat. This eventually became launched on 7 July 2004 as the Māori Party, of which Sharples became co-leader.
In the General Election of September 2005, Sharples contested and won the seat of Tamaki Makaurau, the Māori electorate covering urban Auckland, displacing former Labour MP John Tamihere.
| New Zealand political party leaders |
|---|
| Rodney Hide (ACT) | Jeanette Fitzsimons & Russel Norman (Greens) | Helen Clark (Labour) | Tariana Turia & Pita Sharples (Māori) | John Key (National) | Winston Peters (New Zealand First) | Jim Anderton (Progressives) | Peter Dunne (United Future) |
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