In a letter from Cr Laws headlined ''Sexism at Port of Otago?'', sent to fellow councillors and the Otago Daily Times, he criticised Port Otago for having no female representation on its six-man board.
The council is today expected to vote on replacing an outgoing male director with another male director.
''The port propose changing a 65-70-year-old retired male from Auckland with a 65-70-year-old retired male from Southland.
''That's hardly progress,'' Cr Laws said.
Port Otago has never had a female director.
Port Otago chairman Dave Faulkner said yesterday it was a council process and declined to comment further, until after today's meeting.
Pressed on the question of Port Otago's gender diversity, Mr Faulkner said it was up to the council to comment.
Cr Laws told his fellow councillors he would not be voting for the recommendation to appoint the Southland-based man.
''It's 2018 and the all-male composition of the board, and the intention to appoint another male, is simply outdated and wrong,'' he said.
The council has been Port Otago's 100% owner since 1989.
Cr Laws found it ''impossible'' to believe there were no competent female directors who could not add value to Port Otago's board.
''It's not a PC [politically correct] consideration; it's a question of appropriate balance,'' Cr Laws said.
He labelled Port Otago's board appointments as an ''old boys' club'', lacking process transparency and an ''appalling lack of information'' to the governance team on director appointments.
''This year, at least we get some background information and a proper CV,'' he said.
''But the lack of transparency remains, to the point we are again discussing this matter in secret,'' he said of voting which took part during the ''public-excluded'' section of the council's finance committee meeting.
He said that was ''unacceptable'', given there are no commercial sensitivities involved and no private confidences.
''Those [would-be directors] who entered the selection process for a publicly remunerated position must expect public scrutiny,'' Cr Laws said.
