Sandra Lee-Vercoe

Lee was born in Wellington, and grew up in a two bedroom Māori Affairs house with her parents, grandfather and great grandfather.[1] She was educated at Onslow College. Lee later moved to Auckland, settling on Waiheke Island.[1] Her involvement in politics began with the foundation of Mana Motuhake, a Māori issues party, in 1979. Her political career, however, did not begin until 1983, with her election to the Waiheke County Council. She became chairperson of the Council in 1989. When Waiheke was amalgamated into Auckland proper, Lee became a member of the Auckland City Council.[2]

Lee connects to Poutini Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Toa.

In 1991, Lee became president of Mana Motuhake. Shortly after this, Mana Motuhake agreed to become a founding member of the Alliance, a coalition of minor parties. At the 1992 Alliance party conference Lee was elected the co-leader of the party alongside Jeanette Fitzsimons.[3]

In the 1993 election, Lee became the first Māori woman to win a general seat[4] (James Carroll being the first in 1893) when she successfully contested the Auckland Central electorate as an Alliance candidate, defeating the incumbent Richard Prebble.[5] Upon the retirement of Mana Motuhake founder Matiu Rata in 1994, Lee became Mana Motuhake's political leader.[6] In November 1994, when Jim Anderton stepped down as leader of the Alliance for personal reasons, Lee took his place but Lee persuaded Anderton to return to the leadership in May 1995. Lee lost her Auckland Central seat to Labour's Judith Tizard at the 1996 election.[7] She lost the position as Mana Motuhake leader in 2001, after a leadership challenge by Willie Jackson.[8] Lee believed that personal matters pertaining to her, such as her relationship with Te Puni Kōkiri staffer Anaru Vercoe, was used to discredit her as leader of Mana Motuhake.[9] Lee stayed on as the deputy leader of the Alliance until 2002 before announcing her retirement.

Lee was High Commissioner to Niue, representing the New Zealand and UK governments, from 12 February 2003 to 3 October 2005.[11]

In September 2006 Lee was appointed to the board of Housing New Zealand.[12] In July 2007 she was appointed to the board of Te Papa Tongarewa.[13]

Lee campaigning in central Auckland

• 1983–1989: Member, Waiheke County Council
• 1989: Chair, Waiheke County Council
• 1989–1994 (January): Councillor, Auckland City Council
• 1993–1996: Member of Parliament (Alliance), Auckland Central
• 1996–2002: Member of Parliament (List) (Alliance)
• 1999 (December) – 2002: Minister of the Crown (Local Government, Conservation, Associate Māori Affairs), Labour-Alliance government

At age 16 Lee married Mike Lee, giving birth to the older of their two daughters at age 17. They separated in 1992.[14] Lee has been married to Anaru Vercoe since 2002.

Award-winning New Zealand journalist and television producer, Annabelle Lee-Mather, is Lee's daughter.[15]

• Bassett, Michael (2013). City of sails: the history of Auckland City Council, 1989–2010. ISBN 1927262003.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sandra Lee-Vercoe.