Dover Samuels

The Honourable Dover Samuels MP
39th Minister of Māori Affairs
In office 1999–2000
Prime Minister	Helen Clark
Preceded by	Tau Henare
Succeeded by	Parekura Horomia
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour Party list
In office 1996 – 1999 2005 – 2008
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau
In office 1999 – 2005
Preceded by	Tau Henare
Succeeded by	Hone Harawira
Personal details
Born	(1939-07-09) 9 July 1939
Religion	Ratana

Dover Spencer Peneha Samuels (born 9 July 1939) was a Labour Member of Parliament in New Zealand from 1996 to 2008 inclusive.

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate	List	Party
1996–1999	45th	List	3	Labour
1999–2002	46th	Te Tai Tokerau	5	Labour
2002–2005	47th	Te Tai Tokerau	11	Labour
2005–2008	48th	List	10	Labour

He first entered Parliament as a list MP in the 1996 elections, and was the MP for Te Tai Tokerau since the 1999 elections. When the Labour Party formed a government following its victory in 1999, Samuels became the Minister of Māori Affairs, but resigned this role in June 2000 pending an investigation into alleged sex crimes committed before he entered politics. The police later cleared Samuels of all charges, and Samuels alleged that the accusations had political motivations. He was reinstated as a Minister of State in 2002, but in 2005 was involved in further controversy following a late-night incident in which he publicly urinated in a hallway within Auckland's Heritage hotel.

Samuels lost his Māori electorate of Te Tai Tokerau in 2005 to the Māori Party candidate Hone Harawira. However, he was returned to parliament due to his high position on the Labour Party list. He was made the Associate Minister for Economic Development, Housing, Tourism and Industry and Regional Development.

On 31 October 2007, during the Cabinet reshuffle, Samuels lost his position as a Minister outside Cabinet and was replaced by Darren Hughes. He returned to the backbench.

Samuels did not contest the 2008 election.

He is an active member of the Ratana Established Church of New Zealand.

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Tau Henare	Member of Parliament for Te Tai Tokerau 1999–2005	Succeeded by Hone Harawira
Political offices
Preceded by Tau Henare	Minister of Māori Affairs 1999–2000	Succeeded by Parekura Horomia