Main Platform Highlights

HON GRANT ROBERTSON

Minister for Finance, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

Minister Robertson has been the Member of Parliament for Wellington Central since 2008. In Opposition, Grant was Finance Spokesperson, and has previously held spokesperson roles for Labour in Employment, Skills & Training, Economic Development, Tertiary Education, State Services, Health, and Arts, Culture & Heritage.

HON KRIS FAAFOI

Hon Kris Faafoi was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mana in November 2010, following more than a decade working as a journalist at both TVNZ and the BBC. He is now the Minister for Civil Defence and Commerce and Consumer Affairs, as well as the Associate Immigration Minister. In the area of Civil Defence, Kris has a strong vision for ensuring that both government and communities are prepared to look after each other in the event of a local or national emergency.
As the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, he’s committed to ensuring the wheels of commerce move smoothly and that New Zealand capitalises on every advantage it can to grow our economy, jobs, wages and opportunities. Kris lives in Porirua with his partner Mae and has three sons. MINISTER FAAFOI WILL BE THE SPECIAL GUEST AT OUR GALA DINNER.

HON AMY ADAMS
Amy Adams was first elected to Parliament as the MP for Selwyn in 2008 and was re-elected by the voters of Selwyn in the following three elections.
With a change of Government following the 2017 election and a subsequent reshuffle in March 2018, Amy was elevated to be ranked number 3 in the caucus and was named National’s finance spokesperson.

GUEST SPEAKER: JAKE BAILEY

'Standing on the shoulders of giants'

When you sit in an audience to receive a speech, you do so with a distinct sense of resignation. Will I be entertained? Will I learn something? Will I manage not to shuffle if I find it just a little too long? There is also a sense of anticipation. One mustn’t get too excited though, in case one is disappointed.
Nobody in the audience could have imagined how they would feel when the Head Boy of Christchurch Boys’ High School interrupted proceedings, to be wheeled onto the stage of the school prize-giving on November 5 2015. He was emaciated, hollow eyed, exhausted and quite plainly, very, very ill. He was also however, contemplative and appreciative and you knew that when he looked to his peers he was looking to them for strength. He needed it for just the next 18 minutes.
He was fighting the battle of his life, yet when he was wheeled into his ‘arena’ he looked at that microphone as David would have Goliath. Jake Bailey was about to battle with the audience, but what was plain for all to see was that he was battling for his life.
What happened next was nothing short of inspirational. The world would soon learn what the audience did that night. They were experiencing just minutes out of their busy lives. But these minutes would rock them because they could see for themselves that they were minutes that were more precious than gold for this young man...

JAZZ THORNTON - Co-founder of Voices of Hope

Having overcome childhood abuse and multiple suicide attempts, Jazz Thornton has now dedicated her life to speaking hope and creating change in the area of mental health through her organisation Voices of Hope. Her unique experience and practical message has gained worldwide recognition, being shared through media, international speaking engagements and now through a new feature documentary film. Living by the saying “it’s not about battling your past but fighting for your future” Jazz believes that no matter what your going through it is possible to get through when you learn how to stop surviving and start fighting.