Name Tu Wyllie Party New Zealand First Weight 69 kg | Height 1.63 m Role New Zealand Politician Positions Second five-eighths | |
Education Gisborne Boys' High School, Victoria University of Wellington | ||
Tutekawa "Tu" Wyllie (born 24 October 1954) is a former New Zealand politician and rugby union player. A first five-eighth, Wyllie represented Wellington at a provincial level, and played one match for the New Zealand national side, the All Blacks, in 1980. He was the New Zealand First Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tonga from 1996 to 1999.
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Early life
Born in Manutuke, Wyllie affiliates to the Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Ruapani and Rongowhakaata iwi. He was educated at Gisborne Boys' High School where is played rugby for the 1st XV. He then went to Victoria University of Wellington, where he studied law. He worked as a bus driver, court clerk, teacher trainee and as a bureaucrat in the Ministry of Education, Iwi Transition Agency and the Department of Health.
Rugby career
While at Victoria, Wyllie played rugby league for New Zealand Universities between 1975 and 1977. He then played representative rugby union for Wellington from 1978 to 1983 and New Zealand Māori from 1979 to 1982. In the off-seasons he played overseas, in Ireland, the United States, Germany and France. His sole appearance for the All Blacks came in 1980, when he played against the touring Fijian side, scoring a try. The game was not recognized as a full international.
Member of Parliament
Wyllie was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 1999, representing New Zealand First.
He was elected to Parliament in the 1996 election as MP for Te Tai Tonga, defeating the 29-year parliamentary veteran Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan with a majority of 285 votes. New Zealand First captured all five Māori seats in the 1996 election (including Te Tai Tonga). When New Zealand First splintered, he was one of the MPs who remained with the party core. In the 1999 election, Wyllie did not stand on the New Zealand First list, but did seek re-election as MP for Te Tai Tonga. However, he was defeated by Mahara Okeroa of the Labour Party by 4522 votes.
During his term in Parliament, Wyllie played for the parliamentary rugby team.