Tributes flow for Jim Peters MNZM: A life of service to Te Tai Tokerau and education

Communities across Te Tai Tokerau and Aotearoa are reflecting on the legacy of Jim Peters MNZM, who has died at the age of 88 or 89. A man described as having “service in his veins,” Peters was a prominent educator, regional leader, and former Member of Parliament who dedicated his life to the betterment of his people and the North. Born in Kawakawa in 1937, Peters held whakapapa to Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hine, and Ngāpuhi, as well as Clan McInnes. His distinguished career in education saw him serve as the Head of Department at Mount Albert Grammar School before returning north to lead as the Principal of Northland College in Kaikohe in 1987. His influence as an educator is remembered as foundational for a generation of rangatahi in the region. He later extended his educational leadership as the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori at the University of Auckland starting in 2006. Beyond the classroom, Peters was a cornerstone of Northland governance. He joined the Northland Regional Council in 1989 and served as its chair from 1995 to 2001. His commitment to public office eventually led him to Wellington, where he served as a New Zealand First list MP from 2002 to 2005. While often mentioned alongside his younger brother, Winston Peters, Jim was widely recognised for his own distinct mana and principled guidance. In a notable act of humility in 2008, he declined an opportunity to return to Parliament, allowing a colleague to take the seat instead. In the 2008 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his extensive services to local-body affairs, education, and the community. This week, Parliament observed a period of silence following an announcement by Speaker Gerry Brownlee to honour his passing. Waatea News reports that Peters will be remembered not just for the roles he held, but for the integrity and wisdom he brought to every chapter of his public life.