Biography
Tama Potaka is the Member of Parliament for Hamilton West. First elected in 2022, he is Minister for Māori Development, Minister of Conservation, Minister for Whānau Ora, and Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti.
Impact this term
54th Parliament · since the 2023 general election
These are factual counts from the public record, not a score. MPs do different jobs: ministers run portfolios rather than sponsoring members’ bills, and MPs first elected in 2023 have a shorter record. We show the facts so you can decide what counts as doing enough.
Policies they shape, and why
Bills they’ve worked on
Voting record
Most votes in Parliament are party votes, where MPs vote as a block with their party. So on the large majority of votes Tama Potaka voted the same way as National. The votes that show an MP’s own view are conscience (personal) votes, where MPs vote individually.
No conscience (personal) votes are recorded for Tama Potaka this term. These votes are rare, because Parliament decides most matters by party vote. We record them from Hansard as they occur.
Declared interests
What Tama Potaka has declared in the official register: directorships, property, trusts, debts and gifts. Registers actual and potential conflicts of interest; it is not a measure of wealth.
4 Beneficial interests in, and trusteeships of, trusts Tatau Tatau Trust (trustee and beneficiary) S M Paul Whānau Family Trust (trustee) Sina James (née Chase) Whānau Trust (trustee and beneficiary) Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa Trust Board (trustee) Tama and Ariana Potaka Whānau Family Trust (trustee and beneficiary) 6 Real property Rental property (jointly owned) – Central-East Auckland Family home – Hamilton Family farm and houses (in Tatau Tatau Trust) – Rangitīkei Rental property (in Tama and Ariana Potaka Whānau Family Trust) – Hamilton 7 Retirement schemes Simplicity KiwiSaver Fidelity 401(k) 8 Managed investment schemes Pioneer Capital Funds – Pioneer Capital 10 Debts owed by you ASB Bank – mortgage Hon Willow-Jean
Register of Pecuniary Interests (parliament.nz) · as at 31 January 2026Taxpayer-funded expenses
Travel and accommodation paid by Parliamentary Service for 1 January – 31 March 2026. Ministers’ expenses are disclosed separately.
Roles & responsibilities
Latest coverage
News and video mentioning Tama Potaka, from the sources on our coverage page.
In the news
Details sourced from parliament.nz and the public record. Bills, written questions, declared interests and expenses refresh automatically from Parliament’s official sources; conscience votes are recorded from Hansard as they occur. Photo: New Zealand National Party, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source ).