Dame Tariana Turia has been awarded the Blake Medal for leadership achievement in New Zealand by the Sir Peter Blake Trust.
The award acknowledges extraordinary New Zealand leaders who has made an exceptional contribution to Aotearoa.
Māori Party president Che Wilson praised Turia's tenacity, vision, and unwavering drive to help others, calling her a much-loved aunty kuia, great grandmother and wahine toa.
"Pūtikiria te whānau hei oranga mō te tangata’ - Bind the strength of whānau to help the collective... This proverb captures the essence of Dame Tariana from her childhood at Pūtiki to crossing the floor in Parliament and leading her flagship kaupapa Whānau Ora,” says Wilson.
Turia joins other 2018 Blake Leader and Blake Medalist award winners Peter Beck, Sandra Alofivae, Soana Pamaka, Rochelle Constantine, Miles Gegory, and David Cameron.