Turia's last day as co-leader of the Maori Party

Tariana Turia
Tariana Turia
It was Tariana Turia's last day as co-leader of the Maori Party and at her marae near Whanganui the big issue of the day was panic over a trifle shortage.

The trifle was for the 200 people at the dinner the Maori Party was having last night in honour of Mrs Turia and her fellow co-leader for the Maori Party's first decade, Pita Sharples. Her family were all at her home marae, Whangaehu, preparing and the men were worried about whether there was enough trifle for dinner.

Today the party will hold its annual hui, at which Mrs Turia will hand over the leadership reins to new MP Marama Fox.

She has given the tick of approval to Fox. "She's out there, she has opinions on everything. I think she won't be beaten down by the whole hurly burly of Parliament."

She is still disappointed that the Maori Party only managed to hold on to one electorate seat at the election. But she is determined not to stick her nose in to the Maori Party's business now. The baton has been handed over and it was up to Te Ururoa Flavell and Marama Fox now. She admits such self-restraint could be difficult and she will remain available if asked for advice. "But I know it's important to trust them to get on with the job."

She does not expect to have any formal role in the party -- and has not heard from her colleague Pita Sharples since the election. She says oddly the person she will miss the most is former colleague Hone Harawira and is upset he didn't get back in Parliament.

Mrs Turia has moved out of the family home she lived in while a minister and back to Whanganui with husband George. "It's nice to be re-establishing relationships with my kids and my husband."

Asked if she had considered just relaxing for a while she says it does not fit well with her. "I'm glad this political part of my life is over, even though I will always be politically active because that's just the way I am."

There is a wry grin when she is asked if her beloved George was coping with having her around. He had done most of the housework when she was a minister -- and now took umbrage when she tried to stick her beak in. She says they planted strawberry plants and he criticised her planting skills. "I thought 'how can you plant a strawberry wrong?' But I just said to him 'that's fine. In future you'll be doing all the planting'."

As for the trifle, she hands down her verdict. No more is needed. There was after all also numerous pavlovas, fruit salad, and icecream as well as the two vast trays of trifle.

By Claire Trevett of the New Zealand Herald

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