Editing Winnie Laban (section)

==Member of Parliament==
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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|date=March 2023}}

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.<ref name= Macdonald />
{{Blockquote
|text= 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.
|author= Winnie Laban.<ref name= Macdonald/>
}}
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.<ref name= Macdonald/><ref name=Husband2>{{cite web |last= Husband |first= Dale |title= Winnie Laban: It's time for Māori and Pasifika to talk combined strategies |publisher= Mana Trust |date= 28 January 2017 |url= https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/winnie-laban-its-time-for-maori-and-pasifika-to-talk-combined-strategies/ |accessdate= 24 November 2020}}</ref>

Laban was first elected to Parliament in the [[1999 New Zealand general election|1999 election]] as a [[list MP]], becoming New Zealand's first Pacific Island woman MP. In the [[2002 New Zealand general election|2002 election]] she successfully contested the [[Mana (New Zealand electorate)|Mana electorate]], formerly held by Labour MP [[Graham Kelly (politician)|Graham Kelly]]. In [[2005 New Zealand general election|2005]] she was re-elected by a majority of 6,734 votes<ref name="elect_result_mana">{{cite web |title= Official Count Results – Mana |publisher=Chief Electoral Office |date=1 October 2005 |url=http://2005.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-22.html |accessdate= 30 December 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011171151/http://2005.electionresults.govt.nz/electorate-22.html |archivedate= 11 October 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was Minister of Pacific Island Affairs (5 November 2007 – 19 November 2008).<ref name="Parliamentary bio">{{cite web|title=Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban |url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/Former/a/a/2/49PlibMPsFormerLuamanuvaoWinnieLaban1-Laban-Luamanuvao-Winnie.htm |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |accessdate=19 November 2010 }}</ref> Labour was defeated in the [[2008 New Zealand general election|2008 election]], depriving Laban of her ministerial role, but Laban retained her electorate seat and most of her majority.<ref name="2008 Mana results">{{cite web|title=Official Count Results – Mana |url=http://electionresults.govt.nz/electionresults_2008/electorate-21.html |publisher=Elections NZ|accessdate=19 November 2010 }}</ref>

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.<ref name=mentalhealthbill>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Legislation/Bills/6/2/0/00DBHOH_BILL9732_1-Mental-Health-Compulsory-Assessment-and-Treatment.htm |title=Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Amendment Bill |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |accessdate=10 December 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0912/S00177.htm |title=Member's Bill a step forward for mental health |publisher=Scoop Media |date=10 December 2009 |accessdate=10 December 2009}}</ref> The bill was defeated at its first reading.<ref name=mentalhealthbill/>

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]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Laban-resignation-to-force-Mana-by-election/tabid/419/articleID/169873/Default.aspx?ArticleID=169873 |title=Laban resignation to force Mana by-election |publisher=Three News |date=10 August 2010 |accessdate=10 August 2010}}</ref> leading to a [[2010 Mana by-election|by-election in the Mana electorate]]. She ceased being a member of parliament on 15 October 2010.<ref name="Parliamentary bio" />