Nanaia Mahuta is a former Labour MP of Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, and Ngāti Manu descent who served in Parliament for 27 years, entering as the youngest Māori woman MP at the time. She made history as the first Māori woman to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs, bringing an indigenous lens to international relations and Pacific engagement. Throughout her career she championed Māori representation in local government, Treaty-based decision making, and Māori development — and has warned that the current government's moves to roll back Treaty principles represent a backward step for the country. A rangatira in every sense, her mahi in the halls of power has always been rooted in the wellbeing of her people.