The Māori Party is an indigenous rights-based political party in New Zealand, formed on 7 July 2004. Tariana Turia founded the party after resigning from the Labour Party, where she had been a Cabinet Minister in the Fifth Labour Government. She and Pita Sharples, a high-profile academic, became co-leaders. After the 2008 election, the party supported a National Party-led government, and Turia and Sharples became ministers outside cabinet. A similar arrangement continued after the 2011 and 2014 elections. Sharples resigned as male co-leader in 2013 and was replaced by Te Ururoa Flavell, who become Minister for Maori Development (outside cabinet) following the 2014 election.