Editing Winnie Laban

{{short description|New Zealand politician}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = [[The Honourable]] Luamanuvao
| name                = Dame Winnie Laban
| honorific-suffix    = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DNZM|QSO|size=100%}}
| image               = Winnie Laban 2018 01 (cropped).jpg
| caption             = Laban in 2018
| order               = 8th [[Minister for Pacific Peoples|Minister of Pacific Island Affairs]]
| primeminister       = [[Helen Clark]]
| term_start          = 5 November 2007
| term_end            = 19 November 2008
| predecessor         = [[Phil Goff]]
| successor           = [[Georgina te Heuheu]]
| order2              = 
| primeminister2      = 
| term_start2         = 
| term_end2           = 
| predecessor2        = 
| successor2          = 
| constituency_MP4    = [[Mana (New Zealand electorate)|Mana]]
| parliament4         = New Zealand
| term_start4         = 27 July 2002
| term_end4           = 15 October 2010
| predecessor4        = [[Graham Kelly (politician)|Graham Kelly]]
| successor4          = [[Kris Faafoi]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date and age|1955|08|14|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Wellington]], New Zealand
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| restingplace        = 
| restingplacecoordinates = 
| birthname           = 
| party               = [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour]]
| otherparty          = <!--For additional political affiliations-->
| spouse              = Peter Swain<ref name="Whos who"/>
| relations           = [[Ken Laban]] <small>(brother)</small>
| children            = 
| residence           = 
| alma_mater          = 
| occupation          = 
| profession          = 
| cabinet             = 
| committees          = 
| portfolio           = 
| religion            = 
| signature           = 
| website             = 
}}

'''Luamanuvao Dame Winifred Alexandra Laban''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|DNZM|QSO}} (born 14 August 1955) is a former New Zealand politician. She served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the [[Mana (New Zealand electorate)|Mana electorate]], representing the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]], and was the Labour Party's spokesperson for [[Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs|Pacific Island Affairs]] and for interfaith dialogue. Laban is the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) at [[Victoria University of Wellington|Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington]] and is a respected leader in the local Pasifika community.

==Early life==
Laban was born in [[Wellington]] on 14 August 1955 to Samoan parents, Ta'atofa Kenneth Laban and Emi Tunupopo.<ref name="Whos who">{{cite book |editor-last=Taylor |editor-first= Alister |editor-link= Alister Taylor |title= New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001 |year=2001 |publisher= Alister Taylor Publishers |location= Auckland |issn=1172-9813 |page=526}}</ref> 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.<ref name=Husband1>{{cite web |last= Husband |first= Dale |title= Ken Laban: The lasting legacy from migrant parents |publisher= Mana Trust |date= 24 May 2015|url= https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/the-lasting-legacy-from-migrant-parents/ |accessdate= 24 November 2020}}</ref>

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.<ref name=Husband1/><ref name= Macdonald>{{cite web |last= Macdonald |first=Nikki |title= Winnie from Wainui – a lifetime of showing Pasifika what's possible |publisher= Stuff|location=New Zealand |date= 21 November 2020 |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/women-of-influence/123406794/winnie-from-wainui--a-lifetime-of-showing-pasifika-whats-possible |accessdate= 22 November 2020}}</ref>
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.<ref name="migrant parents">{{cite web |last=Husband |first=Dale |date=24 May 2015 |title=Ken Laban: The lasting legacy from migrant parents |url=https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/the-lasting-legacy-from-migrant-parents/ |access-date=13 October 2022 |website=E-Tangata}}</ref>

She was educated at [[Erskine College, Wellington|Erskine College]], and [[Wellington Girls' College]] from 1969 to 1971.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/9211091/The-road-to-Erskine-College | title=The road to Erskine College | date=27 September 2013 | work=The Wellingtonian | accessdate=7 January 2016 | first=Mary | last=Nichols}}</ref><ref>[http://www.wellington-girls.school.nz/sites/default/files/School%20Ties_December%202012.pdf ''School Ties: Wellington Girls' College alumnae newsletter'']. Issue 16, December 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2013.</ref>
 
After leaving school, she worked as a [[family therapist]] and community development worker, for the [[Te Puni Kokiri|Māori Affairs Department]] where she focused particularly on the [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]] community of New Zealand.<ref name= Macdonald/>
  
[[Ihakara Puketapu|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.<ref name= Macdonald /> Laban graduated with a diploma in social work from the [[Victoria University of Wellington]],<ref name="Whos who"/> and later in development studies from [[Massey University]].<ref name="Whos who"/>

She later worked as a probation officer.<ref name= Macdonald/>

In 1981 she was involved in protests against the [[1981 South Africa rugby union tour of New Zealand and the United States|Springbok Tour of New Zealand]].<ref name= Macdonald/>

==Member of Parliament==
{{NZ parlbox header|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand Labour Party|term=46th|start=1999|end=2002|electorate=List|list=33}}
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand Labour Party|term=47th|start=2002|end=2005|electorate=[[Mana (New Zealand electorate)|Mana]]|list=20}}
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand Labour Party|term=48th|start=2005|end=2008|electorate=Mana|list=20}}
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand Labour Party|term=49th|start=2008|end=2010|electorate=Mana|list=11}}
{{End}}

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" />

==Patronage and memberships==

In 2008 she was made Patron of the Cancer Society Relay for Life.<ref name=GG>{{cite web |title= The Honourable Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, of Lower Hutt, DNZM, for services to education and the Pacific community |publisher= Office of the Governor-General |date= 2018 |url= https://gg.govt.nz/file/25666 |accessdate= 24 November 2020}}</ref>
In 2013 she was made a Patron of the Wainuiomata Pasifika Education Success Initiative.<ref name=GG/>
She was chair of the Pacific Arts Committee from 2013 to 2014. She was appointed to the Creative New Zealand Arts Council in 2014.<ref name=GG/>
She has been a member of the National University of Samoa Council since 2012 and the Institute of Judicial Studies Board since 2011.<ref name=GG/>
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.<ref name=GG/>

Her husband Peter Swain coauthored the memoir of longtime [[Prime Minister of Samoa]] [[Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pālemia: Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi of Samoa, A Memoir |url=https://teherengawakapress.co.nz/p-lemia-prime-minister-tuilaepa-sailele-malielegaoi-of-samoa-a-memoir/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |publisher=Te Herenga Waka University Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=26 April 2017 |title=PM Tuilaepa to release memoirs |url=https://www.talanei.com/2017/04/26/pm-tuilaepa-to-release-memoirs/ |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=Talanei}}</ref>

==Honours==

In 1992, Laban was bestowed the Samoan ''[[fa'amatai|matai]]'' chiefly title ''Luamanuvao'' from the village of [[Vaiala]], [[Vaimauga]], in recognition of her work.<ref name="Whos who"/> In the [[2011 New Year Honours (New Zealand)|2011 New Year Honours]], she was appointed a [[Queen's Service Order|Companion of the Queen's Service Order]] for services as a Member of Parliament.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2011 | title=New Year honours list 2011 |date=31 December 2010| publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=5 January 2018}}</ref> She was appointed a [[Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]] in the [[2018 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|2018 Queen's Birthday Honours]], for services to education and the Pacific community.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2018 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2018 |date=4 June 2018 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=4 June 2018}}</ref> At the 2020 Women of Influence Awards in New Zealand, Laban received a lifetime achievement award.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mayron |first=Sapeer |date=19 November 2020 |title=Top Samoan wins Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/74676 |access-date=2023-03-07 |website=Samoa Observer}}</ref> In 2023, Laban received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Samoa.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Leilani |date=29 March 2023 |title=Hon. Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban to receive an Honorary Doctorate from NUS |url=https://nus.edu.ws/nus-press-release-29-03-2023/ |access-date=2023-04-13 |publisher=National University of Samoa}}</ref>

==References==

{{Commons category|Winnie Laban}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081014072300/http://labour.org.nz/our_mps/luamanuvao_winnie_laban.html Official Labour Party page]

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Phil Goff]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister for Pacific Peoples|Minister of Pacific Island Affairs]]|years=2007–2008}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Georgina te Heuheu]]}}
{{s-par|nz}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Graham Kelly (politician)|Graham Kelly]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Mana (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Mana]]|years=2002–2010}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Kris Faafoi]]}}
{{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laban, Winnie}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:Companions of the Queen's Service Order]]
[[Category:Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Massey University alumni]]
[[Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs]]
[[Category:New Zealand list MPs]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Samoan descent]]
[[Category:People educated at Wellington Girls' College]]
[[Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Victoria University of Wellington]]
[[Category:Women members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Samoan chiefs]]
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]]
[[Category:People educated at Erskine College, Wellington]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century New Zealand women politicians]]
[[Category:People from Lower Hutt]]
[[Category:New Zealand Women of Influence Award recipients]]