Labour MP Tāmati Coffey and his husband Tim Smith have become the proud first-time parents of a baby boy, and they say they’re overwhelmed by this “miracle of life”.
They welcomed their new son into the world at the birthing centre in Te Awamutu, in the Waikato, on Wednesday. He was carried by a surrogate mother.
Tamati shared the joyous news on social media, posting an image of he and Tim with their new son and his surrogate mother with the caption, “He’s here. and he came into this world surrounded by his village.
“#modernfamilies 👬Mum doing awesome. Dads overwhelmed at the miracle of life.”
The Waiariki MP and award-winning former TV presenter has previously revealed to the Rotorua Daily Post that Tim is the biological father of their baby, and that the couple hope to have more children together.
Tamati and Tim have been together more than 10 years and were married in a star-studded and flamboyant civil union ceremony in January 2012.
They announced they were expecting at the Big Gay Out in Auckland in February, to uproarious cheers from the crowd.
In 2014 Tamati told the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly that he and Tim planned to start a family..
“We just need to find a uterus!” Tamati joked.
“Having children is something we are definitely thinking about, but it’s actually harder than you’d think. Last year, during the marriage amendment bill, we found out there were very few legal adoptions in New Zealand last year. While kids are often taken into care, most are normally placed within their own family. So while we intend to have a look at our options – which will include surrogacy, as well as adoption – it’s not something we’ll rush into. But we’re pretty good with nappies already!”
Tamati is uncle to his two sisters’ children.
He left broadcasting in 2013 to pursue a career in politics and in his Labour Party profile it states that his involvement in politics was spurred on by a “concern that our people are currently not being provided with the basics: decent housing, decent wages and jobs, and support for those who need it”.
Tamati is best-known on TV for being one of TVNZ’s most popular weather presenters, but he also hosted the second season of New Zealand’s Got Talent in 2013 alongside judges Cris Judd, Jason Kerrison and Rachel Hunter.
He and Tim have invested in a number of properties over the years. They own two Rotorua bars together, Ponsonby Rd Lounge Bar and Our House.
