Fauono Ken Laban Photo: supplied
Sports commentator, rugby league player and coach and long-serving Wellington regional councillor Ken Laban says he is running for mayor of Lower Hutt.
Two sitting Lower Hutt councillors, Karen Morgan and Brady Dyer, had already announced their candidacy.
The incumbent, Campbell Barry, announced he would not run again after two terms wearing the mayoral chains.
Laban served as an elected member of the Hutt Valley District Health Board from 2004 to 2022 and had been a regional councillor since 2013.
Campbell Barry. Photo: Supplied / Hutt City Council / Elias Rodriguez
He was a former police officer and had been a sports commentator at Sky Sport since 2000.
From Wainuiomata, Laban said he was committed to bringing the Hutt community together, improving safety and services, and reviewing the council's budget.
"I've been a player, a captain, and a coach. I know what it takes to build a team that gets results," said Laban. "You need trust, shared goals, and the discipline to work together. Leading a city is no different. It's not about ego, it's about bringing everyone to the table to serve something bigger than ourselves."
Laban said he wanted to forge strong partnerships with mana whenua and supported the retention of Māori Wards.
He said he would demand a line by line budget review to get council back to basics - "fixing water infrastructure, maintaining roads, and delivering the core services residents rely on".
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