Emeritus Professor Margaret Wilson has always lived a political life. From her days as a child growing up in the Waikato in a Catholic family attuned to fairness, an unlikely law student in the 1960s in a class with a few other women, and an emerging socialist feminist who read radical texts and attended women's conventions, her key concerns became cemented early: the rights of women and equality for all under the law. This is the story of one of New Zealand's most eminent political actors.

Nicky Hager, Arama Rata and Marco de Jong will discuss the above topic on Thursday 13 July in Wellington at 2/57 Willis Street, starting at 5:30pm. They ask what New Zealand stands to lose by abandoning a Pacific-led and independent foreign policy in favour of colonial associations and by choosing defence over diplomacy. Marco de Jong is a Samoan New Zealander, and a Pacific historian. He has recently completed a doctorate at the University of Oxford on the history of the environmental movement in the Pacific Islands with a particular focus on anti-nuclearism and climate change. Outside of research, he has worked in civil society organisations and independent think-tanks advocating for a progressive, demilitarised foreign policy for Aotearoa to advance a Free and Independent Pacific. Across this work, and in the context of entwined ecological and political crises, his firm belief is that there is power in stories which demonstrate Indigenous peoples' commitment to environmental justice in perpetuity. Dr Arama Rata belongs to Ngāruahine, Taranaki Iwi, and Ngāti Maniapoto, She is an independent researcher with current projects focused on Māori sovereignty, Pacific regionalism, anti-racism, and liberatory pedagogies. She is co-director of Te Kuaka, a group advocating for independent, progressive foreign policy. Nicky Hager ONZM is an investigative journalist who has been writing about geopolitics, intelligence ad defence matters since his 1996 publication of Secret Powers on the GCSB. In 2019 following an inquiry the SIS was told to apologise to him for unlawfully acquiring months of call logs from his phone in relation to his investigation into Defence Force activities in Iraq published in Hit and Run.

Peter Fraser discusses "The Economic Justification of Infrastructure Projects as an aid to prioritising them in the National interest” – with some emphasis on the experience with some irrigation and roading projects, and business cases’ Peter Fraser "Guerrilla Economist” is currently Senior Associate at Institute for Governance and Policy Studies. His iwi affiliation is to Ngāti Hauiti ki Rangitikei. Over the past 10 yrs his work has focussed on agricultural economics, particularly regarding the dairy industry. He recently completed an independent economic analysis of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme (proposed for the Central Hawkes' Bay) and other potential water storage projects in the Wairarapa. He also did an analysis the Waimea Community Irrigation Scheme. He is a Principal Advisor at the Earthquake Commission (EQC). He also worked in the Dept. of Labour, the Dept. of Building and Housing, MAF Policy (2007-2010 – dairy industry issues & Fonterra capital structure), Treasury (1997-2000, 2002-2007 – health policy, natural resources). Peter is Chair of Whakauae Research Services (NZ's only iwi owned and mandated public health research provider) and Deputy Chair of the Pacific People's Wellbeing Trust.

Rob Campbell is the former chair of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand. His recent sacking has sharpened his commentary on the need for change. He speaks to us about progress in transforming what has been a fragmented system in order to “create a more equitable, accessible, cohesive and people-centred system that will improve the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders”. The new health system has been designed to enable a whole-of-country view to planning and delivering services, helping it to be efficient and consistent everywhere. A healthcare system that is nationally planned, regionally delivered and locally tailored and which will address things like surgical waiting lists. Check out their website for more information here. The government has set out six priorities for the new health system: · The health system will uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi · People and whānau will be supported to stay well and connected to their communities · High-quality specialist and emergency care will be equitable and accessible to all when it is needed · Digital services and technology will provide more care in people’s homes and communities · Our health workforce will be valued and well trained, ensuring we have enough skilled people to meet future needs Rob is a professional director with extensive union, public and private sector governance experience spanning over 40 years. He currently chairs Ara Ake Ltd, NZ Rural Land Company and he is Chancellor of AUT, and is the former chair of the Environmental Protection Authority. In 2017 he was awarded the NZ Shareholders Assoc Beacon Award and the Deloitte NZ Chair of the Year Award in 2017, and then in 2019, awarded the Companion of the NZ Order of Merit and made a Distinguished Alumni of VUW. The session was chaired by Professor Marie Bismark - medical practitioner, health lawyer, researcher and company director.

The United States is fighting a proxy war in western Eurasia – Europe – and soon may be at war with China in the east. The prize is a continuation of American hegemony or its replacement by multipolarity. This talk examines Anglo-American thinking about Eurasia since Mackinder and how this illuminates the current situation. It will also discuss some questions this raises for New Zealand going forward. Some background for the talk including Mackinder's world island theory may be found in this article by Tim Beal published in John Menadue's Australian website 'Pearls and Irritations' https://johnmenadue.com/the- ukraine-war-lessons-for- australia-and-the-asia- pacific/, Dr Tim Beal: Author, Researcher, Educator, Asia specialist Tim Beal is a retired NZ academic who has written extensively on Asia, with a focus on Northeast Asia. He also has an interest in imperialism, again mainly in respect of Asia but recently, also inevitably encompassing Europe

The Government is undertaking a once-in-a-generation reform of the healthcare system, replacing District Health Boards with Health New Zealand, the Māori Health Authority, and the Public Health Agency. What’s being changed and why? What should we all be fighting for as the changes come into force on 1 July? And what can we expect from a new system? Raewyn Stone (consultant and expert in women’s health), and Rawiri Jansen (GP, researcher, and advocate) each speak about the reforms, followed by Q+A. Max Harris (researcher and writer) chairs.

Come and hear Gina Dao-McLay from Young Greens discuss with Josh Trlin of Young Labour how the two parties might collaborate. In Chile the progressive parties formed an electoral bloc to win more support. What does our electoral landscape look like? Dan Harward Jones - one of the founding members of Make it 16 - will chair.