Mike Tana
5th Mayor of Porirua
In office
26 October 2016 – 30 October 2019
DeputyIzzy Ford
Preceded byNick Leggett
Succeeded byAnita Baker
Personal details
Born1965 or 1966 (age 57–58)
Matakohe, New Zealand
SpouseToni
Children6

Michael Darren Tana[1] (born 1965 or 1966)[2] is a New Zealand politician and trade union leader. He was mayor of Porirua from 2016 to 2019.

Early life

Tana is from Matakohe, near Ruawai in the Northland region.[3] His iwi are Ngāti Whātua and Ngāpuhi.[4]

He has an agricultural science degree from Massey University.[3]

Career

He has been senior biosecurity adviser at the Ministry for Primary Industries, and the president of the 62,000-strong Public Service Association.[5]

Career in politics

He announced in August 2016 that he would be running for Mayor of Porirua and he ran a poorly-funded campaign.[5] Tana won the mayoral election, receiving 5,887 votes (after other candidates were eliminated on the STV ballot).[6] He is the first Maori mayor of Porirua, and one of only a small number of Maori mayors in New Zealand history.[7]

Tana grew up experiencing racism, and when he was elected Mayor he joined Porirua City up to an anti-racism campaign.[8]

Personal life

Tana has six children with his wife Toni.[5]

References

  1. ^ "2016_Electoral_expenses_and_donation_form_-_Tana_M.pdf" (PDF). Porirua City Council.
  2. ^ Fallon, Virginia (9 October 2016). "'It's a great day for Porirua' as Mike Tana takes mayoral win". Dominion Post. Stuff.
  3. ^ a b "Meet Mike Tana". The New Zealand Public Service Association - Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  4. ^ Wong, Justin (6 December 2022). "Controversial ex-mayor finally gets portrait after avoiding council for years". Dominion Post. Stuff.
  5. ^ a b c "'It's a great day for Porirua' as Mike Tana takes mayoral win". Stuff. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Porirua City Council - 2016 Triennial Elections" (PDF). poriruacity.govt.nz. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Mike Tana - Porirua's first Māori mayor". Māori Television. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Porirua Mayor Mike Tana called 'a man of tint'". Stuff. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2018.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mike Tana.
Political offices Preceded byNick Leggett Mayor of Porirua 2016–2019 Succeeded byAnita Baker
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