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. 

LISTEN ABOVE

Well-known Wellington personality Ken Laban has thrown his hat in the ring to be Lower Hutt's next mayor.&nbsp;
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.&nbsp;
He grew up in Wainuiomata with sister Dame Winnie Laban, a former Labour cabinet minister.&nbsp;
Laban joined Nick Mills to discuss why he's chosen to run for the city's top job.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few.

Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis. You don't find many people more passionate about the capital than Nick, and he comes to Wellington Mornings after decades of success as the man behind some of the city's leading hospitality and entertainment offerings - Spruce Goose, Hummingbird and the Wellington Saints basketball team just to name a few. Nick's proud of his city but also knows much can be improved on to make Wellington an even better place, and brings an honest, edgy, fun and engaging show to Wellingtonians each weekday from 9 'til midday.

Wellingtonians now have the chance to discuss the issues of the day one-on-one with proud local Nick Mills and have a forum to share their ideas, passions and outrages on a daily basis.

Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills

Ken Laban: Former cop, rugby commentator on his tilt for the Lower Hutt mayoralty

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/94e42044-e096-46db-adc2-b30e0006b21f/transcript

EDITORIAL:

I want to spend this morning talking about something I'm genuinely concerned about.

I want to be tough on crime, like everyone does.

I want to be serious about saving lives on our roads, course we do, that's a no brainer.

So this is exactly where you start. 

The latest numbers are in, and they are big. 

Police issued 538,192 speeding fines in 2025—now that’s the highest in 15 years. Break that down, and it’s more than one fine every single minute of the year.  

That’s up from 461,000 in 2024 and 402,000 in 2023. So enforcement isn’t just rising—it’s ramping up fast. 

Those fines brought in $54.2 million, with the average sitting around $100. And that’s just tickets issued by officers—not even counting speed cameras. 

Now, some people hear that and say, “Here we go, revenue gathering.” 

I don’t see it that way. 

Because at the same time enforcement has gone up, road fatalities have been trending down from previous highs.  

Even the AA’s road safety spokesperson has said it’s hard to prove direct link—but they also say they don’t think it’s a coincidence that stronger enforcement and lower road deaths are happening at the same time. 

And that makes sense, doesn’t it? 

Speed is consistently identified by Police as a leading contributor to crashes and the severity of those crashes.

So if you increase enforcement, you increase deterrence. And if you increase deterrence, you reduce risk. 

It’s not complicated. 

Now look—I don’t like getting a speeding ticket any more than anyone else.  

But I like even less watching someone scream past me at crazy speed and thinking, “That’s someone who could kill someone today.” 

So if Police are out there in greater force, doing exactly what they’ve said they’ll do—targeting speed—then good. That’s their job. 

But here’s where I think we need to go further. 

These fines are stuck in the last century. Literally. 

They were set in 1999, and since then, incomes have roughly doubled.  

Even the AA and the Transport Minister have acknowledged the penalties are too low. The AA has said that, at a minimum - double, an inflation adjustment would effectively mean doubling the fines. 

And I agree. 

Because if a fine doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t change behaviour. It just becomes part of the cost of driving badly. 

If you've only got a hundred dollar fine, but two hundred - you'd be thinking that's tough.

So lift them. Make them meaningful. Make them immediate. Make them a proper deterrent. 

Because here’s the bottom line. 

Nobody wants that knock on the door. Nobody wants that phone call telling you someone you love isn’t coming home. 

If tougher enforcement is already working—and the data strongly suggests it is—then why wouldn’t we learn from this, why wouldn't we make it harsher?

LISTEN ABOVE

EDITORIAL:
I want to spend this morning talking about something I'm&nbsp;genuinely concerned about.
I want to be tough on crime, like everyone does.
I want to be serious about saving lives on our roads, course we do, that's a no brainer.
So this is exactly where you start.&nbsp;
The latest numbers are in, and they are big.&nbsp;
Police issued 538,192 speeding fines in 2025—now that’s the highest in 15 years. Break that down, and it’s more than one fine every single minute of the year. &nbsp;
That’s up from 461,000 in 2024 and 402,000 in 2023. So enforcement isn’t just rising—it’s ramping up fast.&nbsp;
Those fines brought in $54.2 million, with the average sitting around $100. And that’s just tickets issued by officers—not even counting speed cameras.&nbsp;
Now, some people hear that and say, “Here we go, revenue gathering.”&nbsp;
I don’t see it that way.&nbsp;
Because at the same time enforcement has gone up, road fatalities have been trending down from previous highs. &nbsp;
Even the AA’s road safety spokesperson has said it’s hard to prove direct link—but they also say they don’t think it’s a coincidence that stronger enforcement and lower road deaths are happening at the same time.&nbsp;
And that makes sense, doesn’t it?&nbsp;
Speed is consistently identified by Police as a leading contributor to crashes and the severity of those crashes.
So if you increase enforcement, you increase deterrence. And if you increase deterrence, you reduce risk.&nbsp;
It’s not complicated.&nbsp;
Now look—I don’t like getting a speeding ticket any more than anyone else. &nbsp;
But I like even less watching someone scream past me at crazy speed and thinking, “That’s someone who could kill someone today.”&nbsp;
So if Police are out there in greater force, doing exactly what they’ve said they’ll do—targeting speed—then good. That’s their job.&nbsp;
But here’s where I think we need to go further.&nbsp;
These fines are stuck in the last century. Literally.&nbsp;
They were set in 1999, and since then, incomes have roughly doubled. &nbsp;
Even the AA and the Transport Minister have acknowledged the penalties are too low. The AA has said that, at a minimum - double, an inflation adjustment would effectively mean doubling the fines.&nbsp;
And I agree.&nbsp;
Because if a fine doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t change behaviour. It just becomes part of the cost of driving badly.&nbsp;
If you've only got a hundred dollar fine, but two hundred - you'd be thinking that's tough.
So lift them. Make them meaningful. Make them immediate. Make them a proper deterrent.&nbsp;
Because here’s the bottom line.&nbsp;
Nobody wants that knock on the door. Nobody wants that phone call telling you someone you love isn’t coming home.&nbsp;
If tougher enforcement is already working—and the data strongly suggests it is—then why wouldn’t we learn from this, why wouldn't we make it harsher?
LISTEN ABOVE

Nick Mills: Speeding fines need to be doubled

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/93ef0406-36fc-4022-990f-b4120015174d/transcript

For Politics Thursday this week Nick is joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley.

After this week's events with Minister Chris Hipkins family life reaching the public eye - we talk to our politicians around where we draw the line for privacy as a public figure.

Then panel tackle the top political issues of the week starting with the latest GDP increase of 0..2% - what does this signify for everyday Kiwis?

Discussion gets heated over food cost - the price of mince has risen 23.2% in the last year to an average of $24.46 a kg. What do our politicians think of this? And what will they do about it?

Costley and Andersen also talk about doubling speeding fines as AA calls for an increase to cope with inflation but also deter drivers from speeding. There were 538,192 fines issued over 2025 - more than one per minute.

Also on the agenda is fuel levels, changes to asylum seeker rules, and do parents have the right to be mad if their child is given sugar in class?

LISTEN ABOVE

For Politics Thursday this week Nick is joined by Labour MP Ginny Andersen and National MP for Otaki Tim Costley.
After this week's events with Minister Chris Hipkins family life reaching the public eye - we talk to our politicians around where we draw the line for privacy as a public figure.
Then panel tackle the top political issues of the week starting with the latest GDP increase of 0..2% - what does this signify for everyday Kiwis?
Discussion gets heated over food cost - the price of mince has risen 23.2% in the last year to an average of $24.46 a kg. What do our politicians think of this? And what will they do about it?
Costley and Andersen also talk about doubling speeding fines as AA calls for an increase to cope with inflation but also deter drivers from speeding. There were 538,192 fines issued over 2025 - more than one per minute.
Also on the agenda is fuel levels, changes to asylum seeker rules, and do parents have the right to be mad if their child is given sugar in class?
LISTEN ABOVE

Politics Thursday with Ginny Andersen and Tim Costley: Privacy as a politican

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/713fb7ff-ea86-4b64-9a2a-b4120005782e/transcript

The cult classic Rocky Horror show is back in Wellington with the West End cast performing at the St James Theatre.

Nick is joined in the studio today by star and Frank-N-Furter himself, Stephen Webb.

Stephen, along with all the cast and live band have flown all the way from London and the West End production of the hit musical. 

He shares what it's like touring, bringing it to NZ and what makes audiences go crazy for the show. 

Nick and Stephen also talk Richard O'Brien and the show's Kiwi origins. 

The musical starts tonight and goes to Sunday 29th March. Get tickets here.

LISTEN ABOVE

The cult classic Rocky Horror show is back in Wellington with the West End cast performing at the St James Theatre.
Nick is joined in the studio today by star and Frank-N-Furter himself, Stephen Webb.
Stephen, along with all the cast and live band have flown all the way from London and the West End production of the hit musical.&nbsp;
He shares what it's like touring, bringing it to NZ and what makes audiences go crazy for the show.&nbsp;
Nick and Stephen also talk Richard O'Brien and the show's Kiwi origins.&nbsp;
The musical starts tonight and goes to Sunday 29th March. Get tickets <a href="https://www.ticketmaster.co.nz/artist/804241?venueId=295633" data-anchor="?venueId=295633">here.</a>
LISTEN ABOVE

Rocky Horror Show star Stephen Webb joins Nick in the studio

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/401618ea-bc15-45ed-bb8a-b4110001363b/transcript

Ken Laban: Former cop, rugby commentator on his tilt for the Lower Hutt mayoralty

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