Tia Barrett ... NZ's High Commissioner in the Cook Islands. Photo: PMC

Pacific.Scoop
Pacific Media Centre news desk

Māori Party co-leader Tariana Turia today expressed the party’s sadness over the death of Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato man Tia Barrett, New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the Cook Islands.

“Tia was a distinguished ambassador for our nation,” Turia said. “Less than a month ago, I was hosted by Tia during the Pacific disability ministers meeting in Rarotonga.

“It was immediately obvious that Tia was greatly loved by the people of the Cook Islands.

“He was greeted warmly everywhere we went, and it was evident that the strong whakapapa connections between Māori and the local people made him a very special friend to many.

“He was also greatly respected by the Prime Minister, Jim Marurai, and Queen’s representative in Rarotonga, Sir Frederick Goodwin.

Foreign Minister Murray McCully said Tia Barrett had died in Middlemore Hospital this morning after a short illness.

Barrett, 62, had been flown to Auckland on a medical evacuation flight last week.

“On behalf of the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, I would like to extend deepest sympathy to Tia’s wife Theresa, and his children, Nick and Caroline,” McCully said.

Respected diplomat
“Tia was a respected diplomat, particularly in the Pacific where he served a number of postings. He was also a close and caring friend of colleagues at the ministry.”

Barrett joined the Foreign Ministry in 1973. He was High Commissioner to Solomon Islands (1992-1995), Fiji (1998-2001) and to the Cook Islands from January this year, and was also posted to Tonga, New Caledonia, and France.

He was previously chief of protocol at the ministry, and director of its Māori Policy Unit. He was a strong advocate for a Māori perspective in New Zealand’s foreign policy.

He served as Official Secretary to Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, and was Director of the Treaty of Waitangi Information Programme in 2003-2004.

McCully said this was a particularly difficult time for staff at the High Commission in Rarotonga, after the death last year of former High Commissioner Brian Donnelly.

“His death is a great shock to us all,” Tariana Turia said.

“He was a charming host, his generosity was limitless, his local knowledge impressive and his kindness was humbling.

“The Māori Party extends our heartfelt sympathies to Theresa, his children and mokopuna who will be devastated by the enormity of this loss.”

“Tia was quite simply a beautiful man – loving, respectful, and thoroughly good fun. It was a pleasure to be around him. Together with our whanaunga in Rarotonga, and his whanau throughout Ngati Maniapoto and Waikato, we grieve the passing of a very special person.”

Labour’s Māori Affairs spokesperson Parekura Horomia said: “Tia was a true gentlemen.

“He also had a detailed understanding of the Pacific and an ability to use his own whakapapa and knowledge of tikanga to build bridges with our Pacific neighbours.”

Further details about Barrett’s tangi will be released in the coming days.

Death of NZ’s High Commissioner to Cook Islands
Labour pays its respects to Tia Barrett