The Greatest Conman: The biopic John Tamihere never wanted you to see

A new film is set to hit screens across New Zealand and it’s already stirring outrage. The Greatest Conman tells the story of John Tamihere, the man who has perfected the art of grifting in New Zealand. Framed as a hard-hitting biopic, this film lays bare the empire Tamihere built on the backs of taxpayers, the manipulation of public money, and the betrayal of the very people he claims to serve.

The movie takes viewers deep into Tamihere’s world. From his early political scandals, to his reinvention as a "Māori leader", and the rise of the Waipareira Trust which has soaked up hundreds of millions in taxpayer funding. Rather than uplifting the Māori community, the film paints a picture of luxury, ego, and excess. It’s an intimate, unfiltered look at a man who turned public funding into personal fortune.

One of the most jarring revelations? The lavish lifestyle he and his wife, Awerangi Durie, have enjoyed thanks to the public purse. Designer wardrobes, expensive cars, and all the trappings of wealth while Māori families sleep in their cars, go without kai, and watch their communities crumble. It’s not just a movie. It’s a mirror held up to a system that let this happen for far too long.

Tamihere isn’t portrayed as a misunderstood hero. He’s shown as he is. A master manipulator. A man who knew how to say the right words to the right bureaucrats, sign the right forms, and line his own pockets while claiming to be a servant of the people. The term "greatest grifter" isn’t used lightly. In fact, by the end of the film, it feels like an understatement.

The Greatest Conman doesn’t just expose Tamihere. It raises the question - How many others like him are out there, hiding behind Māori development buzzwords while draining the system dry? Why has the government been so eager to keep throwing money at outfits like Waipareira Trust with little to no accountability?

This film will shock many. For those who have watched from the sidelines as the dollars flowed and the promises failed, it simply confirms what they’ve always known. John Tamihere isn’t a hero. He’s a hustler. And The Greatest Conman finally puts that on full display.