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{{shortShort description|New Zealand politician (born 1957)}}
{{For|the English cricketer|Michael Laws (cricketer)}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2015}}
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{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Michael Laws
<!-- Otago Regional Council deputy chairCouncillor -->| term_start3 = 1990
| children = 5
| death_place =
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| term_start2 = 2004
| office2 = 26th [[Mayor of Whanganui]]
| successor1 = <!--Lloyd Whanganui mayor -->McCall
| predecessor1 = Gretchen Robertson
| term_end1 =
| term_start1 = 2019
| profession = Broadcaster and writer
| termend1 = 2022
}}
'''Michael Laws''' (born 1957) is a [[New Zealand]] politician, broadcaster and writer. Laws was a [[New Zealand Parliament|Member of Parliament]] for six years, starting in 1990, initially for the [[New Zealand National Party|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 radio|talkback]] host and a longstanding ''[[The Sunday Star-Times]]'' columnist.
 
Laws has held several roles in [[Local government in New Zealand|local government]] since 20041995. He has been elected as a councillor to [[Napier City Council]] (1995–1996), [[Whanganui District|Whanganui District Council]] (2013–2014) and [[Otago Regional Council]] (2016 – present), as a member of [[Whanganui District Health Board]], and as [[Mayor of Whanganui]]. He is currently deputy chair of Otago Regional Council(2004–2010).
 
== Early life ==
Laws was born in [[Wairoa]] on 26 June 1957.<ref>{{cite book|last=Temple|first=Philip|title=Temple's Guide to the 44th New Zealand Parliament|publisher=McIndoe Publishers|year=1994|isbn=0 -86868 -159 -8|location=Dunedin|page=70}}</ref> He moved with his parents to [[Whanganui]] where he received his pre-tertiary education at Tawhero Primary School, Whanganui Intermediate School, and [[Whanganui City College|Whanganui Boys' College]]. His father, Keith Laws, a schoolteacher, became rector (principal) of [[Waitaki Boys' High School]] in [[Oamaru]] and then of [[Scots College, Wellington]].
 
On leaving school, Laws worked at the [[Whakatu, Hawke's Bay|Whakatu]] freezing works before entering the [[University of Otago]], graduating with first-class honours in history and won an Otago University [[Blue (university sport)|sporting blue]].<ref name="ODT_222142">{{cite web|date=13 September 2008|title=Celebrating century of excellence|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/on-campus/university-otago/22214/celebrating-century-excellence|access-date=22 September 2011|work=[[Otago Daily Times]]}}</ref> He later obtained a [[Master of Arts]] from [[Victoria University of Wellington|Victoria University]]. During his time at Otago, he attracted controversy as a key member of a student organisation that supported the [[1981 Springbok Tour]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Fisher|first=David|date=2010-03-07|title=Police called to mayor Michael Laws' home|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10630415|publisher=New Zealand Herald}}</ref> He also became ana public speaker and captained both the New Zealand Universities and New Zealand [[debating]] teams in the early-mid-1980s.
 
== Member of Parliament ==
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{{NZ parlbox|term=44th|start=1993|end=1996|party=New Zealand National Party|electorate=Hawkes Bay}}
{{NZ parlbox allegiance|start=1996|party=New Zealand First}}
{{End}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
Having become involved in the [[New Zealand Young Nationals]] (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 New Zealand general election|1987 election]], Laws stood as the National candidate for the [[Hawkes Bay (New Zealand electorate)|Hawkes Bay]] seat, but narrowly lost to the incumbent [[Bill Sutton (New Zealand politician)|Bill Sutton]] of the [[New Zealand Labour Party|Labour Party]]. In the [[1990 New Zealand general election|1990 election]], however, Laws wrestled the seat from Sutton to enter Parliament with a majority of 2,895 votes. In the [[1993 New Zealand general election|1993 election]] he retained his seat with an increased majority, despite the National Party generally losing support.
 
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=== Resignation from Parliament ===
Laws had also been elected (in October 1995) as a [[Napier City Council|Napier city councillor]]. In that role, Laws awarded a contract to conduct a Napier City Council communications poll to a company part-owned by his wife. This appeared to contravene the Local Government (Members' Interests) Act 1968. Laws claimed "there had been no profit to either company or individuals," and an official inquiry by the [[Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand|Auditor-General]] confirmed it found only a minor and unintentional breach of regulations in not declaring his wife's shareholding.
 
However, Laws' conduct during the matter attracted strong criticism. Laws had claimed the poll had been carried out by a person named Antoinette Beck, who was supposedly based in Australia. It later became known Beck was not a real person, her signature had been applied by Laws' parliamentary secretary, and that the poll contract had been awarded to Laws' wife's company.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-02-01|title=Praise for Laws traced to his own firm|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3260457/Praise-for-Laws-traced-to-his-own-firm|access-date=2021-05-20|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref> After these facts emerged, Laws resigned both from Parliament and the council.
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In the [[2004 New Zealand local elections|2004 local elections]], Laws formed and led a "Vision Wanganui" team which captured the majority of the Council seats and unseated the incumbent mayor [[Chas Poynter]], who placed third behind Laws and John Martin. Laws' administration was controversial: he dismayed the local arts community by cancelling an extension to the [[Sarjeant Gallery|Sarjeant Art Gallery]], was the subject of a code of conduct investigation after making derogatory comments about some Whanganui residents, and on a radio show he hosted described the deceased [[Monarchy of Tonga|Tongan king]] [[Taufa'ahau Tupou IV]] as "a bloated, brown slug."<ref>[https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/locals-attack-laws-over-brown-slug-slur/F56PQDXYAVI2H5BFE6AE43UBZQ/ Locals attack Laws over 'brown slug' slur]. ''[[The New Zealand Herald|New Zealand Herald]]'', 22 September 2006</ref> Despite complaints, the [[Broadcasting Standards Authority]] cleared Laws of any breach of broadcasting standards.<ref>{{cite news|date=21 December 2006|title=Michael Laws' 'fat brown slug' jibe okayed|work=New Zealand Herald|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416318|access-date=17 August 2013}}</ref> ''[[The New Zealand Herald|New Zealand Herald]]'' readers judged it the "worst insult of 2006".<ref>{{cite news|date=27 December 2006|title=Summer poll: Laws' Tonga King insult voted worst of the year|work=New Zealand Herald|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10416852|access-date=17 August 2013}}</ref> Later the [[New Zealand Press Council]] cleared columns he wrote on peanut-allergy sufferers and on public-school bans.<ref>{{cite web|title=Case Number: 1078 COMPLAINANT AGAINST SUNDAY STAR-TIMES|url=http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/display_ruling.php?case_number=1078|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130205193722/http://presscouncil.org.nz/display_ruling.php?case_number=1078|archive-date=5 February 2013|access-date=17 August 2013|publisher=New Zealand Press Council|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
 
Despite this controversy, Laws' "Vision Wanganui" grouping subsequently won two council by-elections in February 2006 and Laws acquired the reputation of having rejuvenated the city and raising Whanganui's profile. He also led the campaign for [[gang patch]]es to be banned in Whanganui. The council held a referendum on that subject in 2007, which was voted in the affirmative, and with local MP [[Chester Borrows]] the council sponsored a local bill which eventually became law as the [[Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Act 2009]].<ref>{{cite webnews|title=Bill proposes banning gang patches in Wanganui|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Billgeneral/bill-proposes-banning-gang-patches-in-Wanganuiwanganui-2008041706|date=17 April 2008|access-date=17 August 2013|publisher=[[Newshub|3 News]]|archive-url=https:/tabid/419web.archive.org/articleIDweb/5277720141206040840/Defaulthttp://www.aspx3news.co.nz/general/bill-proposes-banning-gang-patches-in-wanganui-2008041706|archive-date=6 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Ellis |first1=Moana |title=Laws on Whanganui gang patch ban: 'We wanted people to be normal' |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/07/laws-on-whanganui-gang-patch-ban-we-wanted-people-to-be-normal/ |access-date=1723 AugustJune 2024 2013|publisherwork=3[[1 News]] |date=7 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240314013205/https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/07/laws-on-whanganui-gang-patch-ban-we-wanted-people-to-be-normal/ |archive-date=14 March 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In November 2006, Laws announced he would not contest the mayoralty at the [[2007 New Zealand local elections|2007 local 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. However, citing public pressure, Laws changed his mind about retiring from the mayoralty and signed up to contest a second term on the last day for nominations to be submitted. He also stood as part of a "reformist" 'Health First' team for the [[Whanganui District Health Board]]. Laws was successful in attaining both positions, although neither "Vision Wanganui" or "Health First" won majorities.{{Cn|date=June 2024}}
 
In his second term, Laws campaigned for the spelling of "Wanganui" to remain unchanged after local Māori, Te Runanga o Tupoho, petitioned the [[New Zealand Geographic Board]] to correct the spelling to "Whanganui" with an "h". The council held a referendum in 2009 showed 77% support for the retention of the then-popular spelling, which had been used since 1837.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wanganui says: No H|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/wanganui-says-no-h/763XD3HWSRIK2S5VL52ABZ5Z2U/|access-date=2021-05-22|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref> However, the authority to rename the district rested with the Crown, not the council, and in December 2009 [[Minister for Land Information (New Zealand)|Minister for Land Information]] [[Maurice Williamson]] announced that both spellings would be acceptable but the Crown would adopt the corrected spelling.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alternative names Wanganui or Whanganui to become official|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/alternative-names-wanganui-or-whanganui-become-official|access-date=2021-05-22|website=The Beehive|language=en}}</ref>
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=== Otago Regional Council ===
In 2016, Laws moved to Cromwell and contested a position on the [[Otago Regional Council]] (ORC) in the [[2016 New Zealand local elections|2016 local elections]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-05-05|title=Michael Laws chooses not to renew contract at Craighead Diocesan School|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/79647045/michael-laws-chooses-not-to-renew-contract-at-craighead-diocesan-school|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-08-12|title=Michael Laws hopes to energise Otago Regional Council's "rest-home" governance|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/83104076/michael-laws-hopes-to-energise-otago-regional-councils-resthome-governance|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref> He won his seat in a recount by 5 votes<ref>{{Cite web|last=McKenzie-McLean|first=Jo|date=14 October 2016|title=Michael Laws snatches Otago Regional Council seat by 5 votes|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/85345516/michael-laws-snatches-otago-regional-council-seat-with-five-votes|access-date=1 November 2019|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Edwards|first=Jono|date=2019-04-27|title=Former ORC councillor vows to fix problems from within|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/central-otago/former-orc-councillor-vows-fix-problems-within|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Otago Daily Times Online News|language=en}}</ref> and was re-elected in the [[2019 New Zealand local elections|2019 local elections]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hudson|first=Daisy|date=2019-10-12|title=Hobbs, Wilson elected on to Otago Regional Council|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/hobbs-wilson-elected-otago-regional-council|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Otago Daily Times Online News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=2019 Local Elections Results|url=http://www.electionz.com/LGE2019resource/LGE2019results.html|access-date=27 November 2020|website=electionz.com}}</ref> Laws was appointed deputy chair to new chairperson [[Marian Hobbs]] in October 2019<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=McNeilly|first=Hamish|date=23 October 2019|title=Three former MPs push for change with Otago Regional Council chair vote|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/116807740/former-cabinet-minister-marian-hobbs-elected-otago-regional-council-chairwoman|access-date=2019-11-01|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Otago Regional Council|date=23 October 2019|title=Otago Regional Councillors elect Cr Marian Hobbs to Chair|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1910/S00596/otago-regional-councillors-elect-cr-marian-hobbs-to-chair.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-22|website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref> but led a successful effort to replace Hobbs with Andrew Noone in July 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Laws' ORC battle ends in chaos -– but Hobbs ousted|url=https://crux.org.nz/community/michael-laws-orc-battle-ends-in-chaos-but-hobbs-ousted/|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Crux|language=en-NZ}}</ref>
 
In mid August 2021, Otago Regional CouncilORC chief executive Sarah Gardner lodged a code of conduct against Laws regarding comments that he had made about Council staff in two articles that were published in the ''[[Otago Daily Times]]''. One of these stories concerned the Council giving advice to a company that it had taken enforcement action against for illegally dumping waste in the [[Clutha River / Mata-Au|Clutha River]]. The Council ordered an independent investigation into Law's comments headed by Wellington lawyer Steph Dyhrberg. According to Laws, the potential consequences of the complaint included losing his deputy chairman role, being excluded from council premises and functions, and being censured by his colleagues; which Laws claimed would adversely affect councillorcouncillors's freedom of speech and expression.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Marshall |first1=Andrew |title=Michael Laws investigated for comments about Otago Regional Council staff |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/michael-laws-investigated-for-comments-about-otago-regional-council-staff/PA74IBXYU5FM3RZFSOHCK42UME/ |access-date=28 December 2021 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=26 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117183712/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/michael-laws-investigated-for-comments-about-otago-regional-council-staff/PA74IBXYU5FM3RZFSOHCK42UME/ |archive-date=17 November 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In response to the complaints process, [[New Zealand Free Speech Union]] Chief Executive Jonathan Ayling petitioned Gardner to withdraw her complaint and amend the council's code of conduct to reflect that councillors represent ratepayers rather than the council executive. They also offered their support to Laws.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacLean |first1=Hamish |title=Complaint looms over proceedings: Laws |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/complaint-looms-over-proceedings-laws |access-date=28 December 2021 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110065834/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/complaint-looms-over-proceedings-laws |archive-date=10 November 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2021, Laws was cleared of any wrongdoing. According to fellow Councillor Gary Kelliher, the code of conduct investigation against Laws amounted to NZ$20,000 since the Council outsourced it to external lawyer Dyhrberg.<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacLean |first1=Hamish |title=Complaint cost irks councillor |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/complaint-cost-irks-councillor |access-date=28 December 2021 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=13 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211213012738/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/complaint-cost-irks-councillor |archive-date=13 December 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
Laws resigned as deputy chair in April 2022 over disagreements with the council's 2022/23 annual plan and was replaced by Kevin Malcolm.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roxburgh |first=Tracey |date=28 April 2022 |title=Laws drops role, saying he cannot defend plan |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/laws-drops-role-saying-he-cannot-defend-plan |access-date=7 August 2022 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329114403/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/laws-drops-role-saying-he-cannot-defend-plan|archive-date=29 March 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=MacLean |first=Hamish |date=26 May 2022 |title=Diversity worries voiced |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/diversity-worries-voiced |access-date=7 August 2022 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807214226/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/diversity-worries-voiced|archive-date=7 August 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In mid February 2024, Laws and four other councillors voted against the ORC's decision to continue working on its land and water plan despite the [[Sixth National Government of New Zealand|National-led coalition government]]'s new directive for councils to delay their freshwater plans in order to accommodate the government's new freshwater policids. Laws and fellow Cr Gary Kelliher warned that the council's vote could give Simmonds justification to dissolve the council and install government-appointed commissioners. He said the council was playing a "very dangerous game of chicken" with the Government and accused his colleagues of refusing to accept the results of the [[2023 New Zealand general election]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacLean |first1=Hamish |title=ORC votes to keep going on water plan |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/orc-votes-keep-going-water-plan |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=22 February 2024|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240405015523/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/orc-votes-keep-going-water-plan|archive-date=5 April 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
In mid March 2024, Laws joined a majority of ORC councillors in voting not to extend half-price bus fares for university students. When [[University of Otago]] law student Grace expressed disagreement in her email response, Laws countered that Dunedin ratepayers were already subsidising public buses and accused Grace of hypocrisy and selfishness. [[Otago University Students' Association]] Politics representative Liam White disagreed with the tone of Laws' response. When questioned by the university student magazine ''[[Critic Te Ārohi]]'', Laws defended the tone if his response and accused Grace of selfishness and said that "he could have been much harsher." Following the ORC's vote, Laws welcomed the decision not to continue half-price bus fares for university students and said that the new bus fares were subsidised by ratepayers.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Nina |title=Otago Regional Councillor Calls Student "Entitled" Over Bus Fares |url=https://www.critic.co.nz/news/article/11022/otago-regional-councillor-calls-student-entitled-o |work=[[Critic Te Ārohi]] |date=23 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401003412/https://www.critic.co.nz/news/article/11022/otago-regional-councillor-calls-student-entitled-o |archive-date=1 April 2024}}</ref>
 
In late March 2024, Laws objected to the Otago Regional Council's decision to notify its regional policy statement after voting on 32 recommendations from an independent hearings panel during a closed doors meeting. The Council defended its decision to exclude the public from the meeting on the grounds that the hearing panel's report and recommendations were subject to appeals. Laws described the decision as "a rushed process with the council being presented with a fait accompli. It seems that local government and open democracy are two foreign concepts."<ref>{{cite news |last1=MacLean |first1=Hamish |title=Overarching regional policy statement notified |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/overarching-regional-policy-statement-notified |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=2 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407081145/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/overarching-regional-policy-statement-notified|archive-date=7 April 2024|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
 
In mid-June 2024, the ''[[Otago Daily Times]]'' reported that Laws had stated that he could not trust advice from former ORC biodiversity partnership lead Alex Foulkes and ORC climate change adviser [[Francisco Hernandez (politician)|Francisco Hernandez]] for allegedly being activists due to their membership of the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand]]. Laws also questioned "whether the Green Party has installed an activist cadre within the ORC staff". In response, Foulkes had referred Laws' remarks to the Council's communications team and accused Laws of acting unprofessionally and exhibiting "[[McCarthyism]]." Following Foulkes' departure from the ORC, Laws rejected Foulkes' criticism, welcomed his departure and stated "that as an environmental activist, he should never have been hired in the first place."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maclean |first1=Hamish |title=Laws labelled sinister and cowardly |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/laws-labelled-sinister-and-cowardly |access-date=23 June 2024 |work=[[Otago Daily Times]] |date=15 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615052503/https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/laws-labelled-sinister-and-cowardly |archive-date=15 June 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
On 20 September 2024, Laws voted in support of an unsuccessful motion by fellow Cr Kevin Malcolm to pause the Otago Regional Council's land and water regional plan until the National-led coalition government released its updated national freshwater management policy statement. Malcolm's motion was defeated by a margin of 7 to 5. The Council voted to retain their land wand water regional plan. During the meeting, Laws criticised his fellow councillors for continuing with a plan based on directions by the previous [[Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand|Labour Governmment]]. He was heckled by members of the audience in the public gallery.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ashton |first1=Andrew |title=Tetchy exchanges during fiery Otago Regional Council meeting |url=https://crux.org.nz/crux-news/tetchy-exchanges-during-fiery-otago-regional-council-meeting |website=Crux |publisher=Regional News Network Limited |access-date=22 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920063201/https://crux.org.nz/crux-news/tetchy-exchanges-during-fiery-otago-regional-council-meeting |archive-date=20 September 2024 |date=20 September 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>
 
== Media career ==
Since leaving Parliament, Laws has worked as a writer, newspaper columnist and talkback radio host.
 
He joined [[Radio Pacific]] in 2003 and changed to [[Radio Live]] in 2005. He stayed as a radio host throughout his Whanganui mayoralty, stepping back from his nationwide talkback programme in early 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Radio Live|date=24 October 2012|title=Michael Laws Leaving Radio Live {{!}} Scoop News|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1210/S00465/michael-laws-leaving-radio-live.htm|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-22|website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref> Laws courted controversy in this role, as described above. Additionally, in 2008 he was charged with contempt of court for breaching a [[suppression order]] on his radio programme and in October 2010 he called [[Governor-General of New Zealand|Governor-General]] [[Anand Satyanand]] a "fat Indian." ''[[Breakfast (New Zealand TV programme)|Breakfast]]'' presenter [[Paul Henry (broadcaster)|Paul Henry]] had previously made similarly disparaging comments about Satyanand.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fury over Laws' 'fat Indian' insult|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fury-over-laws-fat-indian-insult/YJAM5ERQPOIODFHHLN5EDTDSG4/|access-date=2021-05-22|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref><ref name="BBC2">{{cite news|date=11 October 2010|title=New Zealander sorry for calling official 'fat Indian'|work=[[BBC]]|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11512674|access-date=1 November 2019}}</ref> Laws originally refused to apologise for his comments and only apologised after Henry lost his job over making racist remarks about Indian politician [[Sheila Dikshit]].<ref name="smh2">{{cite news|last=Sands|first=Neil|date=11 October 2010|title=Second NZ broadcaster in race row|work=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/second-nz-broadcaster-in-race-row-20101011-16ft4.html|access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref><ref name="CNN2">{{cite news|author=CNN Wire Staff|date=11 October 2010|title=New Zealand DJ apologizes for "fat Indian" insult|work=[[CNN]]|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/10/11/new.zealand.india.insults/|access-date=11 October 2010}}</ref> In 2011, Laws made comments described as "outrageous" about a young man with [[Asperger syndrome]] who was arrested for minor theft in the aftermath of the [[2011 Christchurch earthquake]]<ref>{{cite news|author=3news.co.nz|date=17 March 2011|title=Michael Laws defends 'outrageous' Asperger's comments|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Michael-Laws-defends-outrageous-Aspergers-comments/tabid/423/articleID/202747/Default.aspx|access-date=24 April 2011}}</ref> and was suspended from his radio programme after criticising journalists' conduct in their coverage of the [[2011 New Zealand general election|2011 general election]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Powley|first=Kathryn|date=2011-12-31|title=Host a Laws unto himself|language=en-NZ|work=New Zealand Herald|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10776187|access-date=2019-11-01|issn=1170-0777}}</ref>
 
On television, Laws has madeparticipated in reality television appearances on the second season of ''[[Celebrity Treasure Island]]'' (2003)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-10|title=Marc Ellis says second season of Celebrity Treasure Island was faked|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/115698770/marc-ellis-says-second-season-of-celebrity-treasure-island-was-faked|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Stuff|language=en}}</ref> and the [[Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand series 3)|third season]] of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (New Zealand TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'' (2007).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lacklustre Laws loses his place with dancing stars|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/lacklustre-laws-loses-his-place-with-dancing-stars/2G7GSG5OWYWQPTKF7C3IEYMGKY/|access-date=2021-05-22|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref> He hosted a weekly rugby television programme on [[Sky (New Zealand)|Sky]] from 2004 to 2009.
 
Laws had a regular column in the ''[[Sunday Star-Times]]'' and has authored three books: a political memoir, ''The Demon Profession'' (1998); a mystery novel, ''Dancing With Beelzebub'' (1999); and sports biography ''Gladiator: the [[Norm Hewitt]] Story'' (2001).
 
By 2022, Laws had joined [[The Platform (radio station)|The Platform]], an online radio station founded by veteran broadcaster [[Sean Plunket]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Greive |first1=Duncan |date=20 August 2022 |title=Two hours with the secretive rich lister bankrolling Sean Plunket's The Platform |work=[[The Spinoff]] |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/20-08-2022/two-hours-with-the-secretive-rich-lister-bankrolling-sean-plunkets-the-platform |access-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831200516/https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/20-08-2022/two-hours-with-the-secretive-rich-lister-bankrolling-sean-plunkets-the-platform |archive-date=31 August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=15 May 2022 |title=Re-Platformed: radio outcasts make their own platform |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018841863/re-platformed-radio-outcasts-make-their-own-outlet |url-status=live |access-date=27 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713074940/https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018841863/re-platformed-radio-outcasts-make-their-own-outlet |archive-date=13 July 2022}}</ref>
 
== Personal life ==
Michael Laws has five children. The eldest two are from relationships prior to his political career; the youngest three, with former partner Leonie Brookhammer, were born during Laws' Whanganui mayoralty.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Awarau|first=Aroha|title=Michael Laws: "I've got to be strong for my kids"|url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/news/real-life/michael-laws-ive-got-to-be-strong-for-my-kids-6583|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-22|website=Now To Love|language=en}}</ref> Laws and Brookhammer separated in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Michael Laws accused in child-smacking case|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/michael-laws-accused-in-child-smacking-case/ZNKPE72F6253LMYZ47IH7HC54Q/|access-date=2021-05-22|website=NZ Herald|language=en-NZ}}</ref>
 
==References==
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Laws"