Former Education Minister Hekia Parata, bid a final farewell to Parliament in her valedictorian speech last night.
Parata was elected to Parliament in 2008 as a National list MP and was appointed as Minister of Education in 2011.
She held the role under the National government until her resignation in May this year.
In her valedictorian speech she acknowledged her tupuna and spoke of her pride in what she had achieved while in Government.