July 1, 2025 • 7 mins
Well-known Wellington personality Ken Laban has thrown his hat in the ring to be Lower Hutt's next mayor.
The 68-year-old has spent his career as a police officer, later becoming a commentator with TVNZ and Sky Sport. Since 2013 he has served as a Greater Wellington Regional Councillor.
He grew up in Wainuiomata with sister Dame Winnie Laban, a former Labour cabinet minister.
Laban joined Nick Mills to discuss why he's chosen to run for the city's top job.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, I don't know how I found this out, but
someone in my office said to me yesterday, do you
know that Ken Laban is running for mayor of Hut
the Hut? And I said no, I didn't know, And
then someone piped up in the background here, I've just
been texting him. We've heard that he he's going to run,
and so we decided this morning we'd better have a
(00:34):
bit of a chat term tllof I Ken to be
with you, mate, nice and nice to chat.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I want to be pretty reasonably open about this. I've
known you for for fee.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Be careful how much do we want people to know.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I mean, I've known you for a very very long time.
I classify you as a friend. So I just wanted
to be upfront about that.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Yes, thank you. Yes, or have a very very long relationship,
one that spreads the sama as well.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Yes, So tell me why why would Ken Laban, with
all the success and all that's on going in your life,
why would you want to run for mayor of Hut city.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Well, it's an interesting word, want nick, I never thought
it was going to be on the horizon for me.
To be honest, the noise this time is pretty loud.
I've been you know, I've been sought after, but don't
take that the wrong way. But there have been people
that have sawt me over the years to run and
(01:43):
I've resisted it. But this time, as I said, it
seemed to be pretty significant those were requesting and those
that were close to me as well. So so here
I am. As you know, I've lived in the hut
all my life, even though I've worked a majority of
my life in the city, so I have a reasonable
understanding of both outfits.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Right, So what what will be different in Lower Heart
with Ken Laban as Maya.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Well, I suppose, you know, we all we all want
to articulate for a better feature and for change the
you know, the way society is at the moment, the
way we are with the costs of running councils across
New Zealand, the pressure and example being set by the
(02:33):
government in terms of how we managed to cost you know,
and then obviously at the other end of it, we
need to have a thriving commercial sector as well, but
at the same time carrying caring for those who need
out who need the most support. So I'm hoping that
a collective vision and a team effort will be a
(02:54):
key part of the debate going forward.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I've got a.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Couple of mates that do are reasonably big business deals
in the in your neck of the woods. D always
told me that it's a very difficult city ousel to
do business with. Will you be a open book? Will
you be an easy counsel or mayor to work with?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, I'm disappointed to I'm disappointed to hear that, and
I won't be nick I'm sure that you am. I
talking about the same people. I too have got a
lot of friends who are successful business people and commercial
developers as well. You know, they have a vision that
doesn't always sit with bureaucrats. So you know, I'm hoping
(03:39):
they might ability to be able to bring those people
together and find a common solution will be a key
to the key to the future.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
You already would have a relationship with Anita Baker and
Wayne Guppy and probably Tory Farno. She won't be there,
but Andrew Little you probably know he might might be
the hot favorite at the moment. How will you work
collaboratively with those sort of mayors? Do you think you'll
be like a guy that put puts the scrum down?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, well I don't Well I don't know Andrew Little well,
but I certainly know I Needa Baker. We've served together
on Heartman, a charitable trust together a few years ago
and gup, you know, gup, You and I will wear
the same ade. So we have the same we have
the same history together. I remember when he was a
(04:28):
worker and captain of the Upperhart rugby team. So him
and I, him and I go a long way back,
and in that.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
State you would have been a West wouldn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I would have been Yeah, yeah, I would have been.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Of course, the old Athletic Club is combined with Onslow
Athletic and Coori to form the West Club of ninety
and eighty three, so I was in there then Norgal team.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Right, So will you have to give up your commentary
and all your sporting activities? I mean you're a sporting icon.
Will you have to give that up to be mayor
of La Hut?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Probably the thing that will hurt me the most having
to give up as the Greater one Inton Regional Council.
I've just I've done four terms. I honestly thought if
you'd asked me this time last month, I thought I
was going to do a fifth term. It's a terrific
group of a terrific group of people, with a good
management team led by Nigel Curry and the chairs Darren Pont.
(05:21):
That's going to be my biggest regret. There's some outstanding
people on that. But I'm certainly hoping that my experience
with the Regional Council or stand me in good stead
in the event that I within the mayoralty of the Hut.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Now, I know that you don't have a lot of
time to listen to the show, but you probably would
have people would have told you that I've got a
very strong stance on the fact of amalgamation. I think
Party to Do at Upper Hut and Wellington should be
amalgamated into one super council.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Your thoughts on that, well I had an upper heart
sings an obvious one and I was involved with some
very contentious debates when I just gone on to the
I was just gone on to the Regional Council at
the you know, at the proposal of a of a
super city and you know, and as you know that
(06:07):
there were those that were and those that weren't. And
I was in the group that I was in the
group that wasn't in favor of the mailgamation of a
super city. But certainly one thing that I've leved been
on the original council the last four terms is that
certainly some kind of conversation with Flower that makes sense
(06:28):
whether or not the grand supercity concept is going to
be reborn. I think that will be a matter for
the liter right.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
If you did that, though, would you need a regional
council as well?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well? In effect you could say, well, do we need
the do we need the TLAs authorities as well? There
And it's a good point that you're raised there are
too many councils and there are too many count What
are we in New Zealand. We're a population of five
million and I think we've got seventy seven councils and
we yes, exactly and we could probably you know, run
(07:05):
a more efficient society. So you know, it's it's a
very it's a very perspective that you bring me all the.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Very very best. You know, obviously I'll support you in
any way I can. It's like I think that you'd
be amazing for our region, so all the very very
very very best, Ken Laban.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Thanks Nick, pleasure to be on your show again.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
All right, fuff tight, Telly lover Ken Laban there, who
is going to run for hot City?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said, b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Now, I don't know how I found this out, but
someone in my office said to me yesterday, do you
know that Ken Laban is running for mayor of Hut
the Hut? And I said no, I didn't know, And
then someone piped up in the background here, I've just
been texting him. We've heard that he he's going to run,
and so we decided this morning we'd better have a
(00:34):
bit of a chat term tllof I Ken to be
with you, mate, nice and nice to chat.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
I want to be pretty reasonably open about this. I've
known you for for fee.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Be careful how much do we want people to know.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
I mean, I've known you for a very very long time.
I classify you as a friend. So I just wanted
to be upfront about that.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Yes, thank you. Yes, or have a very very long relationship,
one that spreads the sama as well.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Yes, So tell me why why would Ken Laban, with
all the success and all that's on going in your life,
why would you want to run for mayor of Hut city.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Well, it's an interesting word, want nick, I never thought
it was going to be on the horizon for me.
To be honest, the noise this time is pretty loud.
I've been you know, I've been sought after, but don't
take that the wrong way. But there have been people
that have sawt me over the years to run and
(01:43):
I've resisted it. But this time, as I said, it
seemed to be pretty significant those were requesting and those
that were close to me as well. So so here
I am. As you know, I've lived in the hut
all my life, even though I've worked a majority of
my life in the city, so I have a reasonable
understanding of both outfits.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Right, So what what will be different in Lower Heart
with Ken Laban as Maya.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Well, I suppose, you know, we all we all want
to articulate for a better feature and for change the
you know, the way society is at the moment, the
way we are with the costs of running councils across
New Zealand, the pressure and example being set by the
(02:33):
government in terms of how we managed to cost you know,
and then obviously at the other end of it, we
need to have a thriving commercial sector as well, but
at the same time carrying caring for those who need
out who need the most support. So I'm hoping that
a collective vision and a team effort will be a
(02:54):
key part of the debate going forward.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I've got a.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Couple of mates that do are reasonably big business deals
in the in your neck of the woods. D always
told me that it's a very difficult city ousel to
do business with. Will you be a open book? Will
you be an easy counsel or mayor to work with?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, I'm disappointed to I'm disappointed to hear that, and
I won't be nick I'm sure that you am. I
talking about the same people. I too have got a
lot of friends who are successful business people and commercial
developers as well. You know, they have a vision that
doesn't always sit with bureaucrats. So you know, I'm hoping
(03:39):
they might ability to be able to bring those people
together and find a common solution will be a key
to the key to the future.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
You already would have a relationship with Anita Baker and
Wayne Guppy and probably Tory Farno. She won't be there,
but Andrew Little you probably know he might might be
the hot favorite at the moment. How will you work
collaboratively with those sort of mayors? Do you think you'll
be like a guy that put puts the scrum down?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, well I don't Well I don't know Andrew Little well,
but I certainly know I Needa Baker. We've served together
on Heartman, a charitable trust together a few years ago
and gup, you know, gup, You and I will wear
the same ade. So we have the same we have
the same history together. I remember when he was a
(04:28):
worker and captain of the Upperhart rugby team. So him
and I, him and I go a long way back,
and in that.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
State you would have been a West wouldn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I would have been Yeah, yeah, I would have been.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Well.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
Of course, the old Athletic Club is combined with Onslow
Athletic and Coori to form the West Club of ninety
and eighty three, so I was in there then Norgal team.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Right, So will you have to give up your commentary
and all your sporting activities? I mean you're a sporting icon.
Will you have to give that up to be mayor
of La Hut?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Probably the thing that will hurt me the most having
to give up as the Greater one Inton Regional Council.
I've just I've done four terms. I honestly thought if
you'd asked me this time last month, I thought I
was going to do a fifth term. It's a terrific
group of a terrific group of people, with a good
management team led by Nigel Curry and the chairs Darren Pont.
(05:21):
That's going to be my biggest regret. There's some outstanding
people on that. But I'm certainly hoping that my experience
with the Regional Council or stand me in good stead
in the event that I within the mayoralty of the Hut.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Now, I know that you don't have a lot of
time to listen to the show, but you probably would
have people would have told you that I've got a
very strong stance on the fact of amalgamation. I think
Party to Do at Upper Hut and Wellington should be
amalgamated into one super council.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
Your thoughts on that, well I had an upper heart
sings an obvious one and I was involved with some
very contentious debates when I just gone on to the
I was just gone on to the Regional Council at
the you know, at the proposal of a of a
super city and you know, and as you know that
(06:07):
there were those that were and those that weren't. And
I was in the group that I was in the
group that wasn't in favor of the mailgamation of a
super city. But certainly one thing that I've leved been
on the original council the last four terms is that
certainly some kind of conversation with Flower that makes sense
(06:28):
whether or not the grand supercity concept is going to
be reborn. I think that will be a matter for
the liter right.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
If you did that, though, would you need a regional
council as well?
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Well? In effect you could say, well, do we need
the do we need the TLAs authorities as well? There
And it's a good point that you're raised there are
too many councils and there are too many count What
are we in New Zealand. We're a population of five
million and I think we've got seventy seven councils and
we yes, exactly and we could probably you know, run
(07:05):
a more efficient society. So you know, it's it's a
very it's a very perspective that you bring me all the.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Very very best. You know, obviously I'll support you in
any way I can. It's like I think that you'd
be amazing for our region, so all the very very
very very best, Ken Laban.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Thanks Nick, pleasure to be on your show again.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
All right, fuff tight, Telly lover Ken Laban there, who
is going to run for hot City?
Speaker 1 (07:36):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
to news talks It'd be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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