New Zealand First has announced Michael Laws will stand for the party in the Waitaki electorate at this year’s general election.

Laws has spent more than four decades in public life, with experience across Parliament, local government, broadcasting, publishing and public advocacy.

Born in Wairoa and raised in Whanganui, he graduated with First Class Honours in History from the University of Otago before completing a Master of Arts in Creative Writing at Victoria University. He was also awarded a University Grants Committee Postgraduate Scholarship and was a New Zealand Universities debating champion.

Laws entered Parliament in 1990, first as a National MP before later joining New Zealand First. He served in Parliament until 1996 and went on to become New Zealand First’s campaign director for the country’s first MMP general election that same year.

After leaving Parliament, Laws built a career in broadcasting, publishing and journalism, becoming one of New Zealand’s best-known talkback hosts. He has also authored three bestselling books, including Gladiator: The Norm Hewitt Story.

He was elected Mayor of Whanganui in 2004 and re-elected in 2007. During that time, he also served three terms on the district health board. As mayor, he championed a number of local initiatives, including anti-gang insignia bylaws which were later adopted nationally.

Laws moved to Central Otago in 2013 and has continued to serve in local government. He has represented the Dunstan constituency on the Otago Regional Council since 2016 and was returned in the 2025 local body elections.

He was also involved in establishing Vision Otago, which secured significant representation on the regional council.

New Zealand First said Laws had lived in the Waitaki electorate for more than a decade and had longstanding family connections to the district.

His father was Rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School, his youngest son attends St Kevin’s College in Oamaru, and Laws worked at Oamaru’s Brydone Hotel while studying at the University of Otago.

Laws and his wife Cheryl live in Cromwell.

The party said Laws would bring significant experience, leadership and public service credentials to its election team.