As a mother, and a constituent MP with 20 plus years’ experience who has come from ‘flax-root’ politics, Hon Nanaia Mahuta remains connected to the aspirations of people from all walks of life. Those who work hard for a living so that their children can do better, kaumatua, tradespeople, those who aspire to own their home, those who own small businesses and those who lead a range of services and organisations and huge iwi entities.

During her time in Parliament, Nanaia supported policies and initiatives that built the capacity of communities, especially social service organisations, greater investment in education, employment and training opportunities particularly for young people, supported the continuation of the Treaty settlement process and supported specific initiatives that lift the wellbeing and opportunities for young mums and those who are vulnerable and victims of abuse.

Nanaia is a tribal member of Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Manu and her parliamentary experience has enabled her to contribute to the collective aspirations of Maori and all New Zealanders.

In the 2020 Labour Government, Nanaia became the first woman to hold the Foreign Affairs portfolio. She is also Minister of Local Government, and Associate Minister for Māori Development.

Uma Kothari is a Professor of Migration and Postcolonial Studies at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, UK and Professor of Human Geography, School of Geography, University of Melbourne, Australia.

Uma’s research interests include colonialism, decoloniality and solidarity, mobilities and borders and, environmental change and island geographies. She has recently completed a project on Seafarers: a cultural geography of maritime mobilities and is currently carrying out research on Environmental change and everyday life on small Island states funded through grants from the ARC and ESRC.

Louisa Wall (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Hineuru me Waikato) was appointed New Zealand’s Ambassador for Gender Equality (Pacific)/Tuia Tāngata in April 2022.

In announcing Louisa’s appointment, the Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted how this would lift Aotearoa New Zealand’s support for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (5 and 10) in the Pacific.

Louisa is a strong advocate for girls and women’s rights and is passionate about human rights and equality.

A civil servant for 13 years and have been a development practitioner for the last 16 years. I am especially passionate about development at community and sub-national levels with specific focus on Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change & Resilience, and the empowerment of women. Strong belief in localisation – “That our collective efforts through strategic partnerships to understand the needs of our Pacific peoples and to support their aspirations for resilient communities, will deliver meaningful and relevant development actions”.

Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh will present her poetry on Thursday 8th of December at the DevNet dinner. Her poetry will cover themes of global climate chance and voice.

Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh is an Auckland-based Pacific poet and scholar of Samoan, Tuvaluan, English, Scottish and French descent. In 2004, she completed her thesis entitled “Ancient banyans, flying foxes and white ginger: Five Pacific women writers” that investigated the little known works of five Pacific Island women poets Jully Makini (Solomon Islands), Grace Mera Molisa (Vanuatu), Haunani-Kay Trask (Hawai’i), Konai Helu Thaman (Tonga), and Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche (Samoa).

In brief, Selina believes these poets were pioneers of Pacific literature and were influential in giving a voice to Pacific women and children as a means of empowerment in a largely male-dominated post-colonial era – “Poetry was used as a political voice. These women were all quite remarkable boundary-breakers.” On completion of her doctorate she became the University of Auckland’s first Pacific student  to graduate with a PhD in English where she now currently teaches papers on New Zealand and Pacific Literature.

Selina established and coordinates Pasifika Poetry, an online hub celebrating the poetry of tagata o te moana nui, the peoples of the Pacific. She is also the co-chair of the South Pacific Association of Language and Literature, which is hosting a conference “Reading and Writing in the Pacific” at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University in 2011 and is co-editor of its literary journal, SPAN.

Other research interests include global indigenous literatures and performance, and Selina has performed her poetry at a range of venues and festivals. Selina is also a graduate of the 2010 Leadership New Zealand Programme, and in celebration of Leadership Week 2010 she took part in its fourth annual black tie dinner themed ‘New Zealand the Lucky Country – Opportunities for Our Future’ along with other distinguished guests including Sir Stephen Tindall, Carol Hirschfeld and Karam Meuli.

Selina’s latest achievement includes the publication of her first book of collected poems, Fast Talking PI, which was awarded the New Zealand Society of Authors Jessie Mackay Best First Book Award for Poetry 2010.