Winnie Laban
Luamanuvao Dame Winifred Alexandra Laban (born 14 August 1955) is a former New Zealand politician. She served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mana electorate, representing the Labour Party, and was the Labour Party's spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs and for interfaith dialogue. Laban served as the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington from 2010 to 2024, and is a respected leader in the local Pasifika community.
The Honourable Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Laban in 2018 | |
| 8th Minister of Pacific Island Affairs | |
| In office 5 November 2007 – 19 November 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Phil Goff |
| Succeeded by | Georgina te Heuheu |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Mana | |
| In office 27 July 2002 – 15 October 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Graham Kelly |
| Succeeded by | Kris Faafoi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 August 1955 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Party | Labour |
| Spouse | Peter Swain[1] |
| Relations | Ken Laban (brother) |
Luamanuvao Dame Winifred Alexandra Laban DNZM QSO (born 14 August 1955) is a former New Zealand politician. She served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Mana electorate, representing the Labour Party, and was the Labour Party's spokesperson for Pacific Island Affairs and for interfaith dialogue. Laban served as the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington from 2010 to 2024,[2] and is a respected leader in the local Pasifika community.
Early life
[edit]Laban was born in Wellington on 14 August 1955 to Samoan parents, Ta'atofa Kenneth Laban and Emi Tunupopo.[1] Laban's maternal grandfather, Fauono Tunupopo Patu had been a member of the Samoan Legislative Assembly before independence in 1962, and on her paternal side her grandfather, Leutele Va’afusuaga Poutoa, served as a member of the first independent government of Samoa and was the Minister of Lands in that first democratically elected Samoan government.[3]
Her parents were public servants in Samoa at the time they emigrated in 1954 to take up government positions in Wellington, New Zealand and also to ensure that any children they had gained New Zealand citizenship.[3][4] Laban grew up in Wainuiomata with her younger brother Ken Laban, who subsequently served as a policeman, a community worker, sports commentator and as a local body politician.[5]
She was educated at Erskine College, and Wellington Girls' College from 1969 to 1971.[6][7]
After leaving school, she worked as a family therapist and community development worker, for the Māori Affairs Department where she focused particularly on the Pasifika community of New Zealand.[4]
Kara Puketapu the head of the Māori Affairs Department encouraged her to formally study social work, using an admission provision for the entry of over-20s.[4] Laban graduated with a diploma in social work from the Victoria University of Wellington,[1] and later in development studies from Massey University.[1]
She later worked as a probation officer.[4]
In 1981 she was involved in protests against the Springbok Tour of New Zealand.[4]
Member of Parliament
[edit]| Years | Term | Electorate | List | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2002 | 46th | List | 33 | Labour | |
| 2002–2005 | 47th | Mana | 20 | Labour | |
| 2005–2008 | 48th | Mana | 20 | Labour | |
| 2008–2010 | 49th | Mana | 11 | Labour | |
When she was 34 she was asked by Sonja Davies to stand for parliament but had declined as she couldn't stomach the policies known as “Rogernomics” that the Labour government was implementing at the time.[citation needed]
Laban changed her mind when in 1998 at the age of 44, she took a weeping call from an uncle who worked at Wainuiomata's Kensons car part factory which was closing without warning or any redundancy being offered to the 100 workers who were losing their jobs.[4]
What I saw was people from Wainui, mainly men, who just looked as though the life had been knocked out of them. A job is also about mana… The first thing I thought – I don’t want New Zealand to lose her heart.
— Winnie Laban.[4]
Outraged by the impact of the closing and the 1991 Employment Contracts Act on Māori, Pacific Island and Pākehā working-class people coupled with the desire of many in the Pacific community to have a woman representing them in Parliament she put herself forward as a candidate for the Labour Party.[4][8]
Laban was first elected to Parliament in the 1999 election as a list MP, becoming New Zealand's first Pacific Island woman MP. In the 2002 election she successfully contested the Mana electorate, formerly held by Labour MP Graham Kelly. In 2005 she was re-elected by a majority of 6,734 votes[9] She was Minister of Pacific Island Affairs (5 November 2007 – 19 November 2008).[10] Labour was defeated in the 2008 election, depriving Laban of her ministerial role, but Laban retained her electorate seat and most of her majority.[11]
In December 2009 her Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill, which would grant greater rights to the families of those seeking or undergoing treatment, was drawn from the member's ballot.[12][13] The bill was defeated at its first reading.[12]
On 10 August 2010 Laban announced she would resign from Parliament to take up a position as an assistant vice-chancellor at Victoria University of Wellington,[14] leading to a by-election in the Mana electorate. She ceased being a member of parliament on 15 October 2010.[10]
Patronage and memberships
[edit]In 2008 she was made Patron of the Cancer Society Relay for Life.[15] In 2013 she was made a Patron of the Wainuiomata Pasifika Education Success Initiative.[15] She was chair of the Pacific Arts Committee from 2013 to 2014. She was appointed to the Creative New Zealand Arts Council in 2014.[15] She has been a member of the National University of Samoa Council since 2012 and the Institute of Judicial Studies Board since 2011.[15] Since 2017 she has been a member of the Australasian Association for Institutional Research, the New Zealand Institute of Directors, the Commissioner of Police's National Pacific Advisory Forum, and an Auditor for the Academic Quality Agency for New Zealand Universities.[15]
Her husband Peter Swain coauthored the memoir of longtime Prime Minister of Samoa Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi.[16][17]
Honours
[edit]In 1992, Laban was bestowed the Samoan matai chiefly title Luamanuvao from the village of Vaiala, Vaimauga, in recognition of her work.[1] In the 2011 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services as a Member of Parliament.[18] She was appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to education and the Pacific community.[19] At the 2020 Women of Influence Awards in New Zealand, Laban received a lifetime achievement award.[20] In 2023, Laban received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Samoa.[21]
References
[edit]
- ^ a b c d e Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. p. 526. ISSN 1172-9813.
- ^ "Dame Winnie Laban departing the University". Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
- ^ a b Husband, Dale (24 May 2015). "Ken Laban: The lasting legacy from migrant parents". Mana Trust. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Macdonald, Nikki (21 November 2020). "Winnie from Wainui – a lifetime of showing Pasifika what's possible". New Zealand: Stuff. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Husband, Dale (24 May 2015). "Ken Laban: The lasting legacy from migrant parents". E-Tangata. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
- ^ Nichols, Mary (27 September 2013). "The road to Erskine College". The Wellingtonian. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ School Ties: Wellington Girls' College alumnae newsletter Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Issue 16, December 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Husband, Dale (28 January 2017). "Winnie Laban: It's time for Māori and Pasifika to talk combined strategies". Mana Trust. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Mana". Chief Electoral Office. 1 October 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ "Official Count Results – Mana". Elections NZ. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ a b "Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill". New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
- ^ "Member's Bill a step forward for mental health". Scoop Media. 10 December 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
- ^ Murray, James; Satherley, Dan (10 August 2010). "Laban resignation to force Mana by-election". Three News. Archived from the original on 28 September 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ a b c d e "The Honourable Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, of Lower Hutt, DNZM, for services to education and the Pacific community". Office of the Governor-General. 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Pālemia: Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi of Samoa, A Memoir". Te Herenga Waka University Press. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "PM Tuilaepa to release memoirs". Talanei. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "New Year honours list 2011". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2018". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ Mayron, Sapeer (19 November 2020). "Top Samoan wins Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ Smith, Leilani (29 March 2023). "Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban to receive an Honorary Doctorate from NUS". National University of Samoa. Retrieved 13 April 2023.