Dr. Hone Ropata is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street who was portrayed by Temuera Morrison as part of the original cast.

Caterina De Nave developed the idea of what was to become Shortland Street after watching successful Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours and noted the lack of diversity concerning race in the cast.

De Nave alongside a team of writers and story liners, decided to include several ethnic minorities, with Ken Catran pitching the idea of Hone – a determined Māori doctor.

The trio offered Morrison a return to the show citing the high ratings, which he accepted and later jokingly blamed on Daniel force-feeding him beer.

In 1993 Meredith dumped Hone after several months and he flatted with Jenny (Maggie Harper) and Nick Harrison (Karl Burnett) and later, Chris Warner.

After the trial in 1995, Hone and Caitlin decided to set up a clinic on the East Coast and the couple departed Ferndale with the assistance of Chris and Carmen (Theresa Healey).

Chris and TK Samuels (Benjamin Mitchell) soon came to realize that Hone was seriously mentally unstable following a series of murders and rapes in his clinic in Africa.

Hone replaced Chris as the hospital's Chief Executive Officer but quickly tired of the job and began an affair with Tania Jeffries (Faye Smythe).

[15] The character was immortalized in New Zealand television history after Carrie Burton's line to him ("you're not in Guatemala now, Dr Ropata") in the first episode gained pop culture significance.

[18] Michelle Hewitson on the other hand was a lot more positive, calling it a "brilliant idea" and praising the reunion between Hone and Chris Warner (Michael Galvin).