Taito Phillip Hans Field (26 September 1952 – 23 September 2021) was a Samoan-born New Zealand trade unionist and politician. A Member of Parliament (MP) for South Auckland electorates from 1993 to 2008, Field was the first New Zealand MP of Pacific Island descent. He was a minister outside Cabinet in a Labour-led government from 2003 to 2005. Following charges of bribery and perverting the course of justice, Field was defeated in the 2008 New Zealand general election. He was found guilty on some of the charges in August 2009 and was sentenced to six years jail in October 2009. Early life Born in Apia, the capital of what was then the Territory of Western Samoa, he gained the name of Taito, the matai (paramount chief) title of the village of Manase on Savai'i, Samoa, in 1975. He was of Samoan, Cook Island, German, English, and Jewish ancestry. He was a pioneering figure for Pacific Islanders while in the Labour Party. He worked for the New Zealand Treasury in the 1970s and then as a union official for the Hotel, Hospital & Restaurant Union and the Service Workers Union (now E tū). In 1990 he was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. Member of Parliament Field first became a Member of Parliament when elected by the South Auckland seat of Otara in the 1993 election. He had stood for Otara in 1990 to replace Colin Moyle who was retiring, but with the swing against Labour in 1990 he was defeated by Trevor Rogers of the National Party. In 1996 he was elected as MP for Mangere, succeeding David Lange. He was appointed parliamentary under-secretary for Pacific island affairs, social services and justice in 2002. He held the position of Minister outside Cabinet, with the portfolios of Associate Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment, and Associate Minister for Justice, from 2003 until he was stood down in 2005. In the September 2005 general election, Field won a majority of more than 16,000 over his nearest opponent, Clem Simich of the National Party. This was the largest majority in any electorate seat in New Zealand. Conflict of interest allegations In October 2005, Field lost his ministerial posts following controversies around allegations that he had improperly used his influence as an MP to receive material gain. In particular, it was alleged that he had used his