She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a BA in English and an LLB, being the first Māori woman to gain a law degree and be admitted to the High Court as barrister and solicitor.

[4] Speculation about her future arose in 2004 after she criticised then leader Don Brash's Orewa Speech.

Questioned some weeks later, she refused to rule out the possibility that she might switch allegiance to the new Māori Party, which had formed after the resignation of Tariana Turia.

[6] In her capacity as chairwoman she has been leading a review of Māori Television services and its operational structure to see whether better outcomes can be achieved for the station.

[9] In the 2018 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to the state and Māori.