Dame Tariana Turia, a former member of parliament and government minister, has died. She was 80.

The former Labour Party MP and founder and former co-leader of Te Pāti Māori was a champion of Māori aspirations.

She served in Parliament for 18 years, initially as a list MP and then in the Te Tai Hauāuru seat for over a decade.

Dame Tariana suffered a stroke over the New Year period. Her iwi said at the time she did not have much time left.