John Broughton (Ngati Kahungunu, Nga Tahu) was born in Hastings.
After graduating BSc from Massey, he trained in Dentistry. He now works as a lecturer in Maori Health at the University of Otago Medical School. In 1988 he joined Roger Hall's Playwriting Course at Otago University and has since written a number of plays. In 1990 he was awarded the Dominion Sunday Times Bruce Mason Award. John was awarded companion for the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2016.