Michael Laws
Encyclopedia
Michael Laws is a New Zealand
politician
, broadcaster
and writer
/columnist
. He served two terms as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the National Party
(1990–96) and New Zealand First
(1996). He was elected as Mayor
of Wanganui
in 2004, was re-elected in 2007 but announced his retirement from the mayoralty for the October 2010 elections. He is currently an elected district councillor and district health board member. He is a Radio Live
morning talkback host and a longstanding Sunday Star-Times columnist.
, Laws moved with his parents to Wanganui where he received his pre-tertiary education at Tawhero Primary School, Wanganui Intermediate School and Wanganui Boys' College. (His father, Keith Laws, a schoolteacher, became Rector (Principal) of Waitaki Boys' High School
(Oamaru) and then of Scots College, Wellington
.) On leaving school, Laws spent two seasons at the Whakatu freezing works before entering University of Otago
, where he graduated with first-class honours in history and earned a University Grants Committee Postgraduate Scholarship. He also won an Otago University sporting blue. He later obtained a Master of Arts
from Victoria University
. During his time at Otago he attracted controversy as a key member of a student organisation that supported the 1981 Springbok Tour
. He also became an accomplished public speaker
and captained both the New Zealand Universities and New Zealand debating teams in the early-mid 1980s.
(the youth wing of the National Party), Laws worked as a parliamentary researcher for National between 1985 and 1989. Most of this time he spent as a senior researcher and press secretary
, including assisting the dissident National MP Winston Peters
from 1987 to 1989. In the 1987 elections
, Laws stood as the National candidate for the Hawkes Bay
seat, but narrowly failed to defeat the incumbent Bill Sutton of the Labour Party
. In the 1990 elections
, however, Laws wrestled the seat from Sutton to enter Parliament with a majority of 2,895 votes. In the 1993 elections
he retained his seat with an increased majority — despite a significant nation-wide swing away from the National Party.
, whom party leader Jim Bolger
looked upon with disapproval. Tensions persisted between Laws and Bolger after Laws became an MP, made worse by Laws' declaration that he would attempt to follow popular opinion in Hawke's Bay rather than National Party policy. Laws voted against his party on a number of issues, joining several other dissident MPs to oppose the economic policies of the Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson
. In early 1991 he even organised public seminars designed to avoid his government's new superannuation surtax policies. The Bolger administration later abandoned the surtax, but Laws earned the ongoing enmity of his colleagues for his stance. He also championed the unsuccessful Death with Dignity Bill, which aimed to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The terminal illness of Cam Campion
, a fellow dissident in Laws' first term in parliament, prompted this advocacy.
Throughout his parliamentary career, rumours frequently circulated that Laws planned to join a new party. When Gilbert Myles
and Hamish MacIntyre
, angry about Ruth Richardson's policies, founded the new Liberal Party
, they invited Laws to join them, but he declined. Later, when his old boss Winston Peters established the New Zealand First party, rumours claimed Laws had considered changing parties, but eventually decided that New Zealand First lacked the organisation and principle for success. Finally, Laws became involved in discussions with Mike Moore, former leader (1990–1993) of the Labour Party, to establish a new centrist party
. It did not eventuate, however, with Laws claiming that Moore showed unwillingness to commit to it. In the end, Laws' relationship with the National Party deteriorated to the point where he no longer attended caucus meetings, and he decided to join New Zealand First in April 1996.
However, Laws' conduct during the matter attracted strong criticism, with Laws misleading the public on a number of issues, and he eventually resigned from parliament. Differing opinions exist over the whole controversy. Laws acknowledges that he did things which he should not have done, but described the scandal as a relatively minor matter which his numerous political enemies blew out of proportion. His opponents paint Laws as corrupt. Official investigations by the New Zealand Police
, by the Serious Fraud Office and by the Auditor-General found he had no case to answer. The latter declared that he made "an honest mistake" in not declaring his wife Karen's shareholding in the company that contracted to the Napier City Council to conduct the poll. This poll led to the "Antoinette Beck" affair, so named after a person who did not exist signed off the poll with this name.
Two of Laws' principal antagonists in the Antoinette Beck affair - Napier city councillors John Harrison and Kerry Single - unsuccessfully sued him for defamation, and Laws personally defended himself in the Napier High Court in December 1997. The Court awarded costs of over NZ$
200,000 against the joint plaintiffs, and this court victory appeared to re-ignite Laws' public career.
Although he had left Parliament, Laws remained involved in politics, managing New Zealand First's campaign for the general election
held on 12 October 1996. He would later write in his political autobiography that the experience resembled nursing a stick of unstable dynamite. Later he served as an adviser to Neil Kirton
, who emerged as New Zealand First's leading dissident despite his position as an Associate Minister of Health. Laws' association with Kirton irritated the National Party, which had formed a coalition with New Zealand First. Eventually, the New Zealand First parliamentary leader, Winston Peters, sacked Kirton.
Laws started his own public relations consultancy but eventually became a writer, publisher and newspaper columnist. In 2003 he became a talkback host for Radio Pacific and started appearing in television shows as a writer and presenter.
. Chas Poynter had served as mayor for 18 years but many in the community felt that it was time for change, and on election night Chas Poynter finished third behind Michael Laws and John Martin. Laws gained 43% of the total vote, with voter turn-out at 67% and the second highest for a local body election in New Zealand that year.
Michael Laws saw his victory as a mandate for change. He immediately opened the Council's finance figures to the public, introduced yearly referenda, announced management restructuring and lobbied successfully for a nil rate-increase for the district.
The local community newspaper, River City Press, made him its inaugural "Person of the Year" for 2005.
However, Laws' mayoralty generated controversy, with some citizens complaining about derogatory comments he made about some Wanganui residents in the wake of Laws' campaign to cancel an extension to the Sarjeant Art Gallery. An internal committee of investigation in mid-2005 found that he had not breached the council's code of conduct
, but his administration remained controversial. He dismayed the local arts community by canning plans for an extension to the Sarjeant Art Gallery
while increasing funding for other local recreational facilities - particularly the swimming complex. Nonetheless, his "Vision Wanganui" grouping subsequently won two council by-elections in February 2006.
In August 2006, in his roles as both talk radio
host and mayor, Michael Laws caused national controversy for refusing to lower the municipal flag to recognise the death of Tonga
n king, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
. On his radio-show Laws described the deceased monarch as "a bloated, brown slug" and referred to the anti-democratic leadership
of the Tongan royal family
. Some people regarded the comments as an insult to the Tongan community residing in New Zealand, and protests occurred, including a complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority
(BSA). The BSA subsequently cleared Laws of any breach of broadcasting standards, and later the New Zealand Press Council
cleared columns he wrote on peanut-allergy sufferers and on public-school bans. However, New Zealand Herald
readers judged it the "worst insult of 2006".
Despite his controversial style, Laws acquired the reputation of having rejuvenated the "River City" (Wanganui). Both the Herald on Sunday
(Feb 2007) and the National Business Review
(December 2006) credit him with having raised Wanganui's profile and having had a positive effect upon raising housing prices.
In November 2006 Laws announced he would not contest the mayoralty at the 2007 local-body elections. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family, especially his young daughters Lucy and Zoe, but did not rule himself out of standing for lesser public offices. He had previously announced he had signed a five-year contract with RadioWorks to continue his morning talkback-show on Radio Live
.
Laws campaigned vigorously against gangs and in April 2007 campaigned for a Yes vote in a Wanganui referendum to outlaw gang-patches and regalia in the Whanganui district. As a result, the Council drafted a local bill which the Whanganui
MP Chester Borrows
introduced into Parliament in 2008. Parliament's "Law and Order" select committee considered proposed anti-gang-patch legislation and reported back positively on 24 September 2008. The Bill passed its third reading in Parliament in May 2009 and is law. Local Police report ['Dominion-Post' 24 Nov 2009] that the legislation is having a beneficial effect in policing gangs, while the mayors of Timaru, Whakatane, Opotiki and Palmerston North are reportedly considering similar by-laws.
On 13 October 2007, the voters re-elected Laws as mayor with an increased majority; he gained about 33-percent more votes than the next candidate, John Martin, and won 54.1-percent of the total vote ['Wanganui Chronicle' mayoralty election figures 15 October 2007] — the first time since 1995 that a winning mayor has gained a majority of the total vote. However, his "Vision Wanganui" team lost its one-seat majority around the council-table, winning five of 12 seats. Laws also won election to the Whanganui District Health Board, as did two of his "Health First" team.
In 2008 he created a new power-sharing plan by making his councillors "mini-mayors" and giving them responsibility for areas of council policy. He also championed the council's successful search for "soft water" for the Wanganui community, describing it as "a personal crusade", and the construction of the Abelard and Heloise water bores at Westmere. The district council has estimated the savings at $240 per household, and the switch-over is planned for late 2009.
Laws returned to the national headlines in 2008 for saying that pit bull
owners "look like their dogs" and for labeling pub charity gambling chiefs as "selfish morons" after they protested a council decision to restrict gambling outlets in the city.
In 2009 he campaigned for the spelling of Whanganui to remain unchanged after local Maori, Te Runanga o Tupoho, petitioned the New Zealand Geographic Board
to change to the Maori spelling of 'Whanganui' with an 'h'. The council consequently endorsed his actions and a 2006 referendum showed 82% support for the retention of the traditional spelling, which dates from 1837 (when "wh" was not yet recognised as a distinct consonant in written Māori).
A referendum concluded on 22 May 2009 found 77% support for the status quo. Over 19,000 Wanganui citizens, 61% of the electoral population, voted.
During September/October 2009, the dispute escalated when Laws was accused of "bullying" school pupils who had written to him, in Maori, asking that he cease opposition to the Maori spelling. He wrote back that they should concentrate on "the real issues affecting Maoridom, especially child abuse and child murder". Most mainstream internet opinion polls, though (TV3 News, YahooXtra, New Zealand Herald), sided with the outspoken Mayor.
And two scientific public opinion polls, undertaken by UMR Insight and TVNZ News in October 2009, also recorded strong national majorities in favour of the status quo.
On 18 December 2009, Lands Minister Maurice Williamson visited Wanganui to deliver the Crown's decision on the spelling of Whanganui City. It was that both spellings - Wanganui and Whanganui would be formally gazetted, but that Crown agencies would adopt the Whanganui spelling. The Wanganui council, local newspapers and most local businesses have indicated that they will continue to adopt the 'h'-less spelling. The legislation to mandate the change has still not been introduced to Parliament after the Green Party objected to its inclusion in a 2010 omnibus parliamentary bill.
Laws announced in June 2010 his retirement from the mayoralty for family reasons.
Laws hosts a nation-wide morning talk radio
show on Radio Live
, has hosted his own weekly rugby media show on SKY Network Television
from 2004 to July 2009, and writes a weekly column
for The Sunday Star-Times
newspaper which won him the Charles Southwell Prize in 2003. He has also appeared on various "celebrity
" and "reality television
" shows.
In June 2008, the New Zealand Police
prosecuted Michael Laws for contempt of court in relation to a breach of a suppression order on his Radio Live talkback show in December 2006. The Court discharged him without conviction. In January 2009, the Broadcasting Standards Authority
rejected a complaint from Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro relating to alleged unfair criticism by Laws. He has repeatedly derided the commissioner as "the worst public servant in the country." Kiro resigned in March 2009.
Michael Laws has five children - two from previous relationships: James (born 1978) and Rachel (born 1979). He has three children with his partner, Leonie Brookhammer - Lucy (born 2004), Zoe (born 2006) and Theodore (born 2008). They separated in March 2009, attempted reconciliation, but separated again in December 2009.
In April 2007 Television New Zealand
selected Laws to participate in the television series Dancing with the Stars
with dance-partner Lauren de Boeck. Prior to the competition he broke a bone in his foot while practicing, but vowed to continue, saying that Wanganui would benefit from the nationwide coverage. In his Sunday Star-Times column he classed himself as "a dancing duffer", and he did not survive the third episode of the competition.
In February 2008, doctors diagnosed leukemia in Laws' 3-year-old daughter Lucy; they gave her a poor prognosis due to other infections. However she survived that initial scare and Laws' mayoral website provides weekly updates as to her health. She was readmitted to hospital in March 2009 and spent 22 days overcoming viral infections. Laws has spent time in both 2008 and 2009 on leave from his mayoral duties because of his daughter's health.
TV3's 'Nightline' programme named Laws as its 'Person of the Year' for 2009. He has twice been a finalist in the NZ Radio Awards for 'best talkback host' in 2010 and 2011.
In August 2011 it was announced that he will fight high profile Maori activist Ken Mair in a charity boxing contest on 3 December to raise funds for victims of the Christchurch earthquake. Laws broke a bone in his right hand in his first sparring bout but has pledged to still meet the charity boxing obligation.
Anand Satyanand
. In an October 2010 broadcast, Laws compared the governor-general to an obese Monty Python
character and said that Satyanand's weight seemed "incongruous on an Indian. I mean, we don't all expect Indians to be begging on the streets of New Delhi
, but it's like Anand discovered the buffet table at 20 and he's never really left it."
The comments were followed by outrage and condemnations from New Zealand politicians. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
, who said "I find Michael Laws' comments offensive because they're deeply personal and they're aimed at the governor-general in a way that I don't think is appropriate for that office,". Key also said that Satyanand (who is of Indo-Fijian ethnicity) was doing a good job as Queen Elizabeth II's representative in New Zealand and that should be the only standard on which he was judged.
"I don't rate people on their physical weight, their height or their religious beliefs, and I don't think it's appropriate to take pot shots at the governor-general on that basis,"
Initially, Laws refused to apologize for his remarks, telling the New Zealand Herald: "I just said he's a fat Indian man, which is true. He's a fat Indian.". However, Laws backed down from his position following the resignation of Paul Henry over his hostile remarks and racial slurs against Indian politician Sheila Dikshit
., saying "I apologise to the governor-general for comments which were, upon reflection, uncharitable and inappropriate.". He also said that while he reserved "the right to be controversial and outspoken", his "off-air comments, in particular, crossed the line from puckish to insulting."
Radio Live management publicly backed Laws for his on-air comments, saying that they were made in jest.
, involving a young man with Asperger syndrome
who was arrested for minor theft in the aftermath of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. He was widely criticized for his unsympathetic remarks about the case, saying that the 25 year-old was "bloody lucky that he received only a black eye" whilst in police custody.
Laws refused to back down on his comments arguing that "Asperger's is not an excuse to commit crime". Despite numerous complaints, both Mediaworks and the Broadcasting Standards Authority found that his views had not breached broadcasting guidelines.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
/columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. He served two terms as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament, representing the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
(1990–96) and New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...
(1996). He was elected as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
in 2004, was re-elected in 2007 but announced his retirement from the mayoralty for the October 2010 elections. He is currently an elected district councillor and district health board member. He is a Radio Live
Radio Live
Radio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
morning talkback host and a longstanding Sunday Star-Times columnist.
Early life
Born in WairoaWairoa
Wairoa is a town in New Zealand's North Island. It is the northernmost town in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of Mahia Peninsula...
, Laws moved with his parents to Wanganui where he received his pre-tertiary education at Tawhero Primary School, Wanganui Intermediate School and Wanganui Boys' College. (His father, Keith Laws, a schoolteacher, became Rector (Principal) of Waitaki Boys' High School
Waitaki Boys' High School
Waitaki Boys' High School is a secondary school for boys located in the northern part of the town of Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand, with day and boarding facilities, and was founded in 1883. It currently has a school roll of just over 530....
(Oamaru) and then of Scots College, Wellington
Scots College, Wellington
Scots College is a private boys' primary and secondary school located in the suburb of Strathmore Wellington, New Zealand. The College comprises both the primary and secondary institutions - the primary school section is typically referred to as the Preparatory School and has its own Head Teacher...
.) On leaving school, Laws spent two seasons at the Whakatu freezing works before entering University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
, where he graduated with first-class honours in history and earned a University Grants Committee Postgraduate Scholarship. He also won an Otago University sporting blue. He later obtained a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from Victoria University
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. During his time at Otago he attracted controversy as a key member of a student organisation that supported the 1981 Springbok Tour
1981 Springbok Tour
The 1981 South African rugby union tour of New Zealand was a controversial tour of New Zealand by the South Africa national rugby union team, known as "the Springboks"...
. He also became an accomplished public speaker
Public speaking
Public speaking is the process of speaking to a group of people in a structured, deliberate manner intended to inform, influence, or entertain the listeners...
and captained both the New Zealand Universities and New Zealand debating teams in the early-mid 1980s.
National Party Member of Parliament
Having become involved in the New Zealand Young NationalsNew Zealand Young Nationals
The New Zealand Young Nationals are the youth wing of the New Zealand National Party a centre-right political party in New Zealand. It is a member of the International Young Democrat Union.-History:...
(the youth wing of the National Party), Laws worked as a parliamentary researcher for National between 1985 and 1989. Most of this time he spent as a senior researcher and press secretary
Press secretary
A press secretary or press officer is a senior advisor who provides advice on how to deal with the news media and, using news management techniques, helps their employer to maintain a positive public image and avoid negative media coverage....
, including assisting the dissident National MP Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
from 1987 to 1989. In the 1987 elections
New Zealand general election, 1987
The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 43rd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains...
, Laws stood as the National candidate for the Hawkes Bay
Hawkes Bay (New Zealand electorate)
Hawkes Bay was a parliamentary electorate in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand from 1881 to 1996.The electorate was represented by twelve Members of Parliament:-Election results:Key...
seat, but narrowly failed to defeat the incumbent Bill Sutton of the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
. In the 1990 elections
New Zealand general election, 1990
The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...
, however, Laws wrestled the seat from Sutton to enter Parliament with a majority of 2,895 votes. In the 1993 elections
New Zealand general election, 1993
The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...
he retained his seat with an increased majority — despite a significant nation-wide swing away from the National Party.
Renegade MP
Laws never had a good relationship with the National Party's senior hierarchy. As a researcher he had done much of his work for Winston PetersWinston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
, whom party leader Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
looked upon with disapproval. Tensions persisted between Laws and Bolger after Laws became an MP, made worse by Laws' declaration that he would attempt to follow popular opinion in Hawke's Bay rather than National Party policy. Laws voted against his party on a number of issues, joining several other dissident MPs to oppose the economic policies of the Minister of Finance Ruth Richardson
Ruth Richardson
Ruth Richardson served as New Zealand's Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1993, and is known for her strong pursuit of free-market economic reforms .-Early life:...
. In early 1991 he even organised public seminars designed to avoid his government's new superannuation surtax policies. The Bolger administration later abandoned the surtax, but Laws earned the ongoing enmity of his colleagues for his stance. He also championed the unsuccessful Death with Dignity Bill, which aimed to legalise voluntary euthanasia. The terminal illness of Cam Campion
Cam Campion
Cameron "Cam" Campion was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.-Private life:Campion was a queen scout and attended St Georges Preparatory School and Wanganui Collegiate. He was captain of the Wanganui under 21 rugby team...
, a fellow dissident in Laws' first term in parliament, prompted this advocacy.
Throughout his parliamentary career, rumours frequently circulated that Laws planned to join a new party. When Gilbert Myles
Gilbert Myles
Gilbert Myles, JP, is a former New Zealand politician.- Member of Parliament :He was elected to Parliament for the seat of Roskill in the 1990 elections as part of the New Zealand National Party, a previously safe-seat of the previously ruling Labour Party, largely on a platform of opposition to...
and Hamish MacIntyre
Hamish MacIntyre
Hamish MacIntyre was a New Zealand politician who at various times represented the National Party, Liberal Party, and the Alliance. His father was the Rt Hon Duncan MacIntyre, who was Deputy Prime Minister to Muldoon in the Third National Government, and he was born in Waipukurau.He was elected to...
, angry about Ruth Richardson's policies, founded the new Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party (1992)
The New Zealand Liberal Party founded in 1992 was a splinter group of the National Party....
, they invited Laws to join them, but he declined. Later, when his old boss Winston Peters established the New Zealand First party, rumours claimed Laws had considered changing parties, but eventually decided that New Zealand First lacked the organisation and principle for success. Finally, Laws became involved in discussions with Mike Moore, former leader (1990–1993) of the Labour Party, to establish a new centrist party
New Zealand Democratic Coalition
The New Zealand Democratic Coalition was a proposed moderate political party intended to contest the 1996 General Election. It would have been led by former Prime Minister Mike Moore and was intended to capture the balance of power on election night...
. It did not eventuate, however, with Laws claiming that Moore showed unwillingness to commit to it. In the end, Laws' relationship with the National Party deteriorated to the point where he no longer attended caucus meetings, and he decided to join New Zealand First in April 1996.
The "Antoinette Beck" affair
Laws did not remain in parliament much longer, due to the "Antoinette Beck" political scandal. Laws employed a company part-owned by his wife to conduct a Napier City Council communications' poll, in his capacity as a recently-elected (October 1995) Napier city councillor. This contravened the Local Government (Member's Interests) Act, but Laws claimed that "there had been no profit to either company or individuals", and an official inquiry by the Auditor-General confirmed found only a minor and unintentional breach of regulations.However, Laws' conduct during the matter attracted strong criticism, with Laws misleading the public on a number of issues, and he eventually resigned from parliament. Differing opinions exist over the whole controversy. Laws acknowledges that he did things which he should not have done, but described the scandal as a relatively minor matter which his numerous political enemies blew out of proportion. His opponents paint Laws as corrupt. Official investigations by the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
, by the Serious Fraud Office and by the Auditor-General found he had no case to answer. The latter declared that he made "an honest mistake" in not declaring his wife Karen's shareholding in the company that contracted to the Napier City Council to conduct the poll. This poll led to the "Antoinette Beck" affair, so named after a person who did not exist signed off the poll with this name.
Two of Laws' principal antagonists in the Antoinette Beck affair - Napier city councillors John Harrison and Kerry Single - unsuccessfully sued him for defamation, and Laws personally defended himself in the Napier High Court in December 1997. The Court awarded costs of over NZ$
New Zealand dollar
The New Zealand dollar is the currency of New Zealand. It also circulates in the Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau, and the Pitcairn Islands. It is divided into 100 cents....
200,000 against the joint plaintiffs, and this court victory appeared to re-ignite Laws' public career.
Although he had left Parliament, Laws remained involved in politics, managing New Zealand First's campaign for the general election
New Zealand general election, 1996
The 1996 New Zealand general election was held on 12 October 1996 to determine the composition of the 45th New Zealand Parliament. It was notable for being the first election to be held under the new Mixed Member Proportional electoral system, and produced a parliament considerably more diverse...
held on 12 October 1996. He would later write in his political autobiography that the experience resembled nursing a stick of unstable dynamite. Later he served as an adviser to Neil Kirton
Neil Kirton
Neil Kirton is a former New Zealand politician. He was an MP from 1996 to 1999, first as a member of the New Zealand First party and then as an independent...
, who emerged as New Zealand First's leading dissident despite his position as an Associate Minister of Health. Laws' association with Kirton irritated the National Party, which had formed a coalition with New Zealand First. Eventually, the New Zealand First parliamentary leader, Winston Peters, sacked Kirton.
Laws started his own public relations consultancy but eventually became a writer, publisher and newspaper columnist. In 2003 he became a talkback host for Radio Pacific and started appearing in television shows as a writer and presenter.
First term
Laws then returned to politics in 2004 by successfully contesting the mayoralty of the Wanganui District Council. He formed and led a "Vision Wanganui" team at the local-body elections, capturing the majority of the Council seats and unseating the incumbent mayor Chas PoynterChas Poynter
Charles "Chas" Poynter, QSO, JP was the Mayor of Wanganui from 1986 to 2004. He was prominent in opposing the Māori occupation of Moutoa Gardens in 1995....
. Chas Poynter had served as mayor for 18 years but many in the community felt that it was time for change, and on election night Chas Poynter finished third behind Michael Laws and John Martin. Laws gained 43% of the total vote, with voter turn-out at 67% and the second highest for a local body election in New Zealand that year.
Michael Laws saw his victory as a mandate for change. He immediately opened the Council's finance figures to the public, introduced yearly referenda, announced management restructuring and lobbied successfully for a nil rate-increase for the district.
The local community newspaper, River City Press, made him its inaugural "Person of the Year" for 2005.
However, Laws' mayoralty generated controversy, with some citizens complaining about derogatory comments he made about some Wanganui residents in the wake of Laws' campaign to cancel an extension to the Sarjeant Art Gallery. An internal committee of investigation in mid-2005 found that he had not breached the council's code of conduct
Code of Conduct
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of or proper practices for an individual, party or organization. Related concepts include ethical codes and honor codes....
, but his administration remained controversial. He dismayed the local arts community by canning plans for an extension to the Sarjeant Art Gallery
Sarjeant Gallery
The Sarjeant Art Gallery is located in Queen's Park, Wanganui. The Gallery was built as the result of a bequest to the city by Henry Sarjeant in 1912, and is listed as a Category I Historic Place and has the highest possible listing under the New Zealand Historic Places Trust Act .Among its...
while increasing funding for other local recreational facilities - particularly the swimming complex. Nonetheless, his "Vision Wanganui" grouping subsequently won two council by-elections in February 2006.
In August 2006, in his roles as both talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
host and mayor, Michael Laws caused national controversy for refusing to lower the municipal flag to recognise the death of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n king, King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Taufa'ahau Tupou IV
Tāufaāhau Tupou IV, King of Tonga, GCMG, GCVO, KBE, KStJ son of Queen Sālote Tupou III and her consort Prince Viliami Tungī Mailefihi, was the king of Tonga from the death of his mother in 1965 until his own death in 2006...
. On his radio-show Laws described the deceased monarch as "a bloated, brown slug" and referred to the anti-democratic leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
of the Tongan royal family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
. Some people regarded the comments as an insult to the Tongan community residing in New Zealand, and protests occurred, including a complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority
Broadcasting Standards Authority
The Broadcasting Standards Authority is a New Zealand Crown Entity created by the Broadcasting Act 1989 to develop and uphold standards of broadcasting for radio, free-to-air and pay television.The main functions of the BSA are:...
(BSA). The BSA subsequently cleared Laws of any breach of broadcasting standards, and later the New Zealand Press Council
New Zealand Press Council
The New Zealand Press Council is a Non Governmental Organisation which exists to uphold standards in the New Zealand print media and promote freedom of speech in New Zealand. Founded in 1975, it is enabled to hear complaints against newspapers and other publications, particularly regarding...
cleared columns he wrote on peanut-allergy sufferers and on public-school bans. However, New Zealand Herald
The New Zealand Herald
- External links :* * *...
readers judged it the "worst insult of 2006".
Despite his controversial style, Laws acquired the reputation of having rejuvenated the "River City" (Wanganui). Both the Herald on Sunday
The New Zealand Herald
- External links :* * *...
(Feb 2007) and the National Business Review
National Business Review
The National Business Review is a weekly New Zealand newspaper aimed at the business sector. The paper is owned by Barry Colman who also publishes the Grocers Review and several other small trade publications....
(December 2006) credit him with having raised Wanganui's profile and having had a positive effect upon raising housing prices.
In November 2006 Laws announced he would not contest the mayoralty at the 2007 local-body elections. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family, especially his young daughters Lucy and Zoe, but did not rule himself out of standing for lesser public offices. He had previously announced he had signed a five-year contract with RadioWorks to continue his morning talkback-show on Radio Live
Radio Live
Radio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
.
Laws campaigned vigorously against gangs and in April 2007 campaigned for a Yes vote in a Wanganui referendum to outlaw gang-patches and regalia in the Whanganui district. As a result, the Council drafted a local bill which the Whanganui
Whanganui (New Zealand electorate)
Whanganui is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first established in 1855 for the 2nd Parliament and has existed continuously since then.It is currently held by Chester Borrows MP.-Population centres:...
MP Chester Borrows
Chester Borrows
Kerry James "Chester" Borrows is a New Zealand politician.-Early years:Borrows initially worked as a police officer, and later gained an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in a record time of two years and 14 days...
introduced into Parliament in 2008. Parliament's "Law and Order" select committee considered proposed anti-gang-patch legislation and reported back positively on 24 September 2008. The Bill passed its third reading in Parliament in May 2009 and is law. Local Police report ['Dominion-Post' 24 Nov 2009] that the legislation is having a beneficial effect in policing gangs, while the mayors of Timaru, Whakatane, Opotiki and Palmerston North are reportedly considering similar by-laws.
Second term
Citing public pressure, Laws changed his mind about retiring from the mayoralty and on the last day for local-government nominations (24 August 2007) announced he would stand for a second term for mayor and as part of a "reformist" 'Health First' team for the Whanganui District Health Board.On 13 October 2007, the voters re-elected Laws as mayor with an increased majority; he gained about 33-percent more votes than the next candidate, John Martin, and won 54.1-percent of the total vote ['Wanganui Chronicle' mayoralty election figures 15 October 2007] — the first time since 1995 that a winning mayor has gained a majority of the total vote. However, his "Vision Wanganui" team lost its one-seat majority around the council-table, winning five of 12 seats. Laws also won election to the Whanganui District Health Board, as did two of his "Health First" team.
In 2008 he created a new power-sharing plan by making his councillors "mini-mayors" and giving them responsibility for areas of council policy. He also championed the council's successful search for "soft water" for the Wanganui community, describing it as "a personal crusade", and the construction of the Abelard and Heloise water bores at Westmere. The district council has estimated the savings at $240 per household, and the switch-over is planned for late 2009.
Laws returned to the national headlines in 2008 for saying that pit bull
Pit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
owners "look like their dogs" and for labeling pub charity gambling chiefs as "selfish morons" after they protested a council decision to restrict gambling outlets in the city.
In 2009 he campaigned for the spelling of Whanganui to remain unchanged after local Maori, Te Runanga o Tupoho, petitioned the New Zealand Geographic Board
New Zealand Geographic Board
The New Zealand Geographic Board is constituted under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 2008, formerly under the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946. Although an independent institution, it is responsible to the Minister for Land Information...
to change to the Maori spelling of 'Whanganui' with an 'h'. The council consequently endorsed his actions and a 2006 referendum showed 82% support for the retention of the traditional spelling, which dates from 1837 (when "wh" was not yet recognised as a distinct consonant in written Māori).
A referendum concluded on 22 May 2009 found 77% support for the status quo. Over 19,000 Wanganui citizens, 61% of the electoral population, voted.
During September/October 2009, the dispute escalated when Laws was accused of "bullying" school pupils who had written to him, in Maori, asking that he cease opposition to the Maori spelling. He wrote back that they should concentrate on "the real issues affecting Maoridom, especially child abuse and child murder". Most mainstream internet opinion polls, though (TV3 News, YahooXtra, New Zealand Herald), sided with the outspoken Mayor.
And two scientific public opinion polls, undertaken by UMR Insight and TVNZ News in October 2009, also recorded strong national majorities in favour of the status quo.
On 18 December 2009, Lands Minister Maurice Williamson visited Wanganui to deliver the Crown's decision on the spelling of Whanganui City. It was that both spellings - Wanganui and Whanganui would be formally gazetted, but that Crown agencies would adopt the Whanganui spelling. The Wanganui council, local newspapers and most local businesses have indicated that they will continue to adopt the 'h'-less spelling. The legislation to mandate the change has still not been introduced to Parliament after the Green Party objected to its inclusion in a 2010 omnibus parliamentary bill.
Laws announced in June 2010 his retirement from the mayoralty for family reasons.
Election record
List of elections won/lost in Michael Laws' political career:| Year | | Election | | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Hawke's Bay constituency (New Zealand Parliament) | Lost |
| 1990 | Hawke's Bay constituency (New Zealand Parliament) | Won |
| 1993 | Hawke's Bay constituency (New Zealand Parliament) | Won |
| 1995 | Napier City Council (council seat) | Won |
| 2004 | Mayoralty (Wanganui District Council) | Won |
| 2007 | Mayoralty (Wanganui District Council) | Won |
| 2007 | Member (Whanganui District Health Board) | Won |
| 2010 | Wanganui District Council (council seat) | Won |
Other information
Laws has written three books which have sold well - all featured in Booksellers New Zealand's "Top Ten" fortnightly surveys. The first, The Demon Profession, released in August 1998, comprised a political memoir that Laws characterised as an inside view into the real workings of politics. The following year he released a mystery novel entitled Dancing With Beelzebub. His third book, Gladiator - the Norm Hewitt story, became the New Zealand No 1 bestseller over Christmas/New Year 2001 and sold over 35,000 copies.Laws hosts a nation-wide morning talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
show on Radio Live
Radio Live
Radio Live and Radio Live Sport are nationwide Auckland-based New Zealand talkback, news and sports radio networks owned and operated by MediaWorks New Zealand...
, has hosted his own weekly rugby media show on SKY Network Television
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
from 2004 to July 2009, and writes a weekly column
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
for The Sunday Star-Times
The Sunday Star-Times
The Sunday Star-Times is a New Zealand newspaper published each weekend by the Fairfax group in Auckland. It covers both national and international news, and is a member of the New Zealand Press Association and Newspaper Publishers Association of New Zealand.-History:The Sunday Star-Times was first...
newspaper which won him the Charles Southwell Prize in 2003. He has also appeared on various "celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
" and "reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
" shows.
In June 2008, the New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
prosecuted Michael Laws for contempt of court in relation to a breach of a suppression order on his Radio Live talkback show in December 2006. The Court discharged him without conviction. In January 2009, the Broadcasting Standards Authority
Broadcasting Standards Authority
The Broadcasting Standards Authority is a New Zealand Crown Entity created by the Broadcasting Act 1989 to develop and uphold standards of broadcasting for radio, free-to-air and pay television.The main functions of the BSA are:...
rejected a complaint from Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro relating to alleged unfair criticism by Laws. He has repeatedly derided the commissioner as "the worst public servant in the country." Kiro resigned in March 2009.
Michael Laws has five children - two from previous relationships: James (born 1978) and Rachel (born 1979). He has three children with his partner, Leonie Brookhammer - Lucy (born 2004), Zoe (born 2006) and Theodore (born 2008). They separated in March 2009, attempted reconciliation, but separated again in December 2009.
In April 2007 Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....
selected Laws to participate in the television series Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)
Dancing with the Stars is a New Zealand television series based on the British series Strictly Come Dancing. The show introduces eight local celebrities paired with professional ballroom danceers who each week compete against each other in a competition to impress a panel of judges and the viewing...
with dance-partner Lauren de Boeck. Prior to the competition he broke a bone in his foot while practicing, but vowed to continue, saying that Wanganui would benefit from the nationwide coverage. In his Sunday Star-Times column he classed himself as "a dancing duffer", and he did not survive the third episode of the competition.
In February 2008, doctors diagnosed leukemia in Laws' 3-year-old daughter Lucy; they gave her a poor prognosis due to other infections. However she survived that initial scare and Laws' mayoral website provides weekly updates as to her health. She was readmitted to hospital in March 2009 and spent 22 days overcoming viral infections. Laws has spent time in both 2008 and 2009 on leave from his mayoral duties because of his daughter's health.
TV3's 'Nightline' programme named Laws as its 'Person of the Year' for 2009. He has twice been a finalist in the NZ Radio Awards for 'best talkback host' in 2010 and 2011.
In August 2011 it was announced that he will fight high profile Maori activist Ken Mair in a charity boxing contest on 3 December to raise funds for victims of the Christchurch earthquake. Laws broke a bone in his right hand in his first sparring bout but has pledged to still meet the charity boxing obligation.
Governor-General Controversy
In 2010, Laws became the second broadcaster from New Zealand (after Paul Henry) to be accused of making "racist" remarks against Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....
Anand Satyanand
Anand Satyanand
Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, KStJ was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand. He previously worked as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman.-Early life and family:...
. In an October 2010 broadcast, Laws compared the governor-general to an obese Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
character and said that Satyanand's weight seemed "incongruous on an Indian. I mean, we don't all expect Indians to be begging on the streets of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, but it's like Anand discovered the buffet table at 20 and he's never really left it."
The comments were followed by outrage and condemnations from New Zealand politicians. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
, who said "I find Michael Laws' comments offensive because they're deeply personal and they're aimed at the governor-general in a way that I don't think is appropriate for that office,". Key also said that Satyanand (who is of Indo-Fijian ethnicity) was doing a good job as Queen Elizabeth II's representative in New Zealand and that should be the only standard on which he was judged.
"I don't rate people on their physical weight, their height or their religious beliefs, and I don't think it's appropriate to take pot shots at the governor-general on that basis,"
Initially, Laws refused to apologize for his remarks, telling the New Zealand Herald: "I just said he's a fat Indian man, which is true. He's a fat Indian.". However, Laws backed down from his position following the resignation of Paul Henry over his hostile remarks and racial slurs against Indian politician Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...
., saying "I apologise to the governor-general for comments which were, upon reflection, uncharitable and inappropriate.". He also said that while he reserved "the right to be controversial and outspoken", his "off-air comments, in particular, crossed the line from puckish to insulting."
Radio Live management publicly backed Laws for his on-air comments, saying that they were made in jest.
Comments on theft by man with special needs
In 2011, Laws made written and spoken comments on an incident in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, involving a young man with Asperger syndrome
Asperger syndrome
Asperger's syndrome that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development...
who was arrested for minor theft in the aftermath of the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. He was widely criticized for his unsympathetic remarks about the case, saying that the 25 year-old was "bloody lucky that he received only a black eye" whilst in police custody.
Laws refused to back down on his comments arguing that "Asperger's is not an excuse to commit crime". Despite numerous complaints, both Mediaworks and the Broadcasting Standards Authority found that his views had not breached broadcasting guidelines.
External links
- Official website
- Council website
- New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists. The Open Society, Volume 76 No. 3 Spring 2003 (PDF, 272 KB) Page 17 (PDF 19), brief biography