'I feel like a man on parole', says Tamihere

John Tamihere says he expects to run for Parliament again. Picture / Greg Bowker

Ousted MP John Tamihere looks unlikely to be unemployed for long following the loss of the Tamaki Makaurau seat to Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples on Saturday.

The Herald understands the controversial former MP is considering employment options including a job offer from property developer Bob Jones.

Looking fatigued following a concession to Mr Sharples on election night, Mr Tamihere confirmed he had talked with "good friend Bob Jones" about employment options.

He declined to discuss the offer other than to say it was one of a number on offer, allowing the chance to "earn some real money" after battling on an MP's wage.

The outspoken former MP said he would also take a greater role in assisting his Ngati Porou nga Hauraki iwi with foreshore and seabed, and Treaty of Waitangi claims.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Tamihere said he was relieved to have the burden of contesting the election and the pressures of a troubled past year in Parliament lifted.

"I feel like a man on parole after spending the last 20 years in the lock-up."

He said his appointment to Cabinet in his second term in 2002 was the highlight of his political career.

"Not bad for a little West Auckland half-breed getting into Cabinet - getting a top 20 placing in the party."

Mr Tamihere rose to prominence as chief executive of West Auckland Maori social service provider Waipareira Trust after working as a lawyer for the Ministry of Maori Affairs.

Under his tenure, the trust grew from a gateway for Government contracts, turning over less than $1 million a year, to a successful social service provider generating more than $8 million per annum. He left the trust in 1999 to enter politics.

Last year he was forced to step down from Cabinet after allegations of misspending while at the trust and then fell out with the Labour caucus after he criticised many of them in an interview for Investigate magazine.

A Serious Fraud Office investigation cleared him of wrongdoing while at Waipareira, but he was not reinstated to Cabinet.

Mr Tamihere said the Investigate interview remained his only regret.

The ex-MP said this election was unlikely to be the last the country has seen of him in the political arena. However he said he would seek re-election in a general seat rather than a Maori seat.

"The Maori seats are too tough, and if I look back the strongest support I have had when times were tough was from good working-class Pakeha and Maori Westies."

The ebullient Mr Tamihere has won praise from an unlikely quarter following his defeat. Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said on Saturday night that Mr Tamihere's exit from Parliament was a big loss to New Zealand and Maoridom.

Speaking at her home marae in Wanganui, Ms Turia said: "I'm sad to see him ago."

She said Mr Tamihere had made a "huge and positive contribution to West Auckland".

She told the Herald that Mr Tamihere was one of the people within Labour who had shown outstanding leadership.

Ms Turia said Maori leaders such as Mr Tamihere and Winston Peters, leader of New Zealand First, were hugely important to Maori and were needed in Parliament.

- additional reporting Ainsley Thomson