7 Oct 2011

Mana Party announces candidate for Western Maori seat

6:02 am on 7 October 2011

The Mana Party has confirmed its candidate to stand in the Maori seat of Te Tai Hauauru in November's general election.

The electorate covers the western side of the North Island from Porirua to Kawhia and east to Tirau.

Frederick Timutimu affiliates to Nga Tamariki o te Kohu and Ngati Raukawa iwi.

He was educated at St Stephen's College in Bombay south of Auckland, and started his career as an academic.

Mr Timutimu is a fluent speaker of te reo and a licensed Maori interpreter - a qualification he uses extensively when he works in the Maori Land Court.

He's currently working with 14 groups involved in Treaty Claims, with a focus on Native Land Claims.

Frederick Timutimu is standing against the incumbent, Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia.