Former Labour MP Taito Phillip Field has died - report

Taito Phillip Field in 2006 when the corruption investigation began. Photo: New Zealand Herald
Taito Phillip Field in 2006 when the corruption investigation began. Photo: New Zealand Herald
Former Labour government minister Taito Phillip Field has died, according to TVNZ.

Field was a Labour MP from 1993 to 2007.

He was aged 68. Field represented South Auckland electorates.

His political career was controversial.

He lost his seat in the 2008 election and in October 2009, Field was jailed for six years after being convicted by a jury in the High Court at Auckland of 11 charges of bribery and corruption as a MP, and 15 charges of perverting the course of justice.

He was charged after Prime Minister Helen Clark ordered an inquiry into allegations he had traded immigration favours for tiling, painting or plastering work on his properties in New Zealand and Samoa.

Field was freed on parole in October 2011 after serving the minimum one third of his six-year sentence.

TVNZ is reporting he died this morning. Field was the first Pasifika MP.

In 2002, Field was appointed a minister outside Cabinet when made Parliamentary undersecretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Social Development and Employment.