The Honourable Tuariki Delamere was the first Member of Parliament in over 70 years to be appointed directly to the Cabinet immediately following his election into Parliament. The Prime Minister further expressed his confidence in the abilities of Mr. Delamere by also appointing him to be Chairman of Cabinet's powerful Finance and Expenditure Committee.

Among the ministerial portfolios he has held were those of Customs, Treasury/Finance, Health, Land Valuation, the Public Trust and Pacific Island Affairs. However, it has been in his capacity as an innovative and enterprising Minister of Immigration that Mr Delamere became a household name throughout New Zealand.

"If the New Zealand economy is to achieve the growth levels it needs to sustain its place in the world as a progressive, developed and modern nation then we, as a nation, need to actively encourage foreign investors and quality immigrants. I was proud of being able to implement the many new immigration policies that made entry into New Zealand easier for genuine and quality immigrants."

Following his recognition as the top Maori student for all New Zealand, he was awarded a scholarship to the USA where he gained a BA at Washington State University and then an MBA at Long Island University in New York.

After completing a three-year spell on the staff of the US Military Academy at Westpoint he returned to New Zealand working in the accounting and computer fields. In the accounting field he rose to the Position of Chief Financial Officer for Polynesian Airlines. A career highlight in computers was managing the successful multi-million dollar sale and implementation of the New Zealand Lotto system.

Hon. Tuariki Delamere is well known and respected throughout Maoridom and is the former Chairman of the tribal authority for his tribe of Whakatohea. Immediately prior to his entry into Parliament Mr Delamere successfully completed negotiations for a $42,000,000 settlement offer from the Government for the Whakatohea Treaty of Waitangi claim.

Mr Delamere has also had a successful sporting career winning many championship titles in New Zealand, USA and Europe for the long and triple jumps. After representing New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in 1974 he competed professionally for several years. For sporting trivia buffs he is perhaps most widely remembered as the person who introduced the somersault style for the long jump in 1974 when tying the then Olympic champion with the longest jump in the Pac 10 championship.