He was raised for a time by Wi Pere (later to serve in Parliament) on the East Coast, but later returned north, possibly to avoid an arranged marriage.
In the 1914 election, Hēnare stood for the conservative Reform Party in the Northern Maori electorate of the Parliament, and won.
He worked closely with Āpirana Ngata, a member of the Liberal Party, on a number of important issues, and took part in the consolidation of Māori lands in the North Auckland area.
He supported the efforts of Gordon Coates, then Minister of Native Affairs, to expand the role of his department, and promoted reforms of the Māori school system.
His son, Sir James Hēnare, was a prominent military officer, and his daughter, Ihapera Taua, was an important figure in the Māori Women's Welfare League.