Joses Tuhanuku helped found and lead the trade union movement in Solomon Islands from 1976 to 1989. 

In 1988 he helped form the Solomon Islands Labour Party and was one of its first candidates in 1989 when he entered national politics as the member for Rennell and Bellona.  During his first two terms in office he served as Leader of Opposition (1992-1993) and as the Minister for Commerce, Trade and Labour (1993-1994) and following that in 1994 as the Minister for Forestry, the Environment and Conservation.

Now in his third term, he is currently President and Parliamentary Leader of the Solomon Islands Labour Party, and a member of the official Opposition.

In 1977-1978 he studied industrial relations and trade unionism in Denmark and in 2000 gained a Masters of Development Administration from the Australian National University.