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Michael Laws | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Chair of Otago Regional Council | |
| In office 2019–2022 | |
| Preceded by | Gretchen Robertson |
| Succeeded by | Lloyd McCall |
| 26th Mayor of Whanganui | |
| In office 2004–2010 | |
| Preceded by | Chas Poynter |
| Succeeded by | Annette Main |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Hawkes Bay | |
| In office 1990–1996 | |
| Succeeded by | Electorate abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1957 (age 66–67) Wairoa, New Zealand |
| Children | 5 |
| Residence | Cromwell |
| Profession | Broadcaster and writer |
Michael Laws (born 1957) is a New Zealand politician, broadcaster and writer. Laws was a Member of Parliament for six years, starting in 1990, initially for the National Party. In Parliament he voted against his party on multiple occasions and in 1996 defected to the newly founded New Zealand First party, but resigned from Parliament the same year following a scandal in which he selected a company part-owned by his wife for a government contract.
Laws has also been a media personality, working as a Radio Live morning talkback host and a longstanding The Sunday Star-Times columnist.
Laws has held several roles in local government since 1995. He has been elected as a councillor to Napier City Council (1995–1996), Whanganui District Council (2013–2014) and Otago Regional Council (2016 – present), as a member of Whanganui District Health Board, and as Mayor of Whanganui (2004–2010).