Winnie Laban
Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban, of Porirua, received the Insignia of a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for services to as a Member of Parliament. Mrs Laban was first elected to Parliament in 1999, becoming MP for the Mana in 2002. In 2010 she retired to become Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) at Victoria University of Wellington. She was the first Pacific woman to be elected to Parliament and the first Pacific woman to be a Minister. During her parliamentary career she served as Minister of Pacific Island Affairs and Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.