Māori Party President: Pem Bird
Pem (Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Tahu) has an extensive background of almost 40 years in education in general including 15 years Iwitanga education (tribal) his passion, public service with the Ministry of Education and NZQA, teacher education as Dean Te Puna Wānanga at the former Auckland College of Education, where he developed the kaupapa of Huarahi Māori as a pathway for Aotearoa's first Māori immersion degree.
Special highlights of his career include Principal of Rākaumanga School in Huntly 1986 - 89 a pioneer immersion kura in Iwitanga, a brief stint as an original Itinerant Teacher Māori in 1975, establishing Te Kura Kaupapa Motuhake o Tāwhiuau as Aotearoa's first Designated Character School in 2000 where he is still Principal today.
He was also a founding member of Kura Kaupapa Māori, a founding member of Te Akatea National Māori Principals Association, and an inaugural member of the New Zealand Teachers Council. Pem was awarded QSM in 2008 for services to Māori Education.