Finlay Macdonald is a widely respected contributor to newspapers and publications throughout the country. He is the former editor of NZ Listener, commissioning editor for Penguin Books, and now writes columns, social commentary and edits the Sunday Star-Times books pages.
He has also worked for Metro Magazine, and as a writer for television, including documentary, serial drama and comedy.
At this year's Qantas Media Awards, Finlay was given the Best Overall Columnist Award for his weekly Sunday Star Times column. British-born Macdonald recently joined Radio Live, hosting a Sunday morning show with a focus on current events, politics and reviews.
Dr John Merson
Associate Professor John Merson is the Director of the IES and the Co-ordinator of the Graduate Research Program in Environmental Policy and Management at UNSW.
He is one of the founding Directors of The Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute, and has been a consultant to the UNESCO, APEC, IUCN, DEST and The Department of Foreign Affairs.
He was a member of the Australian Indonesia Steering Committee on Science and Technology, and the Australia Korea Forum.
He is the author of six books and a wide range of academic papers and research covering issues of Environmental and Development, Adaptive Environmental Policy & Management and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.
For his journalistic work he is the recipient of a United Nations Media Peace Prize
Rod Oram
Rod Oram has more than 30 years’ experience as an international financial journalist. He has worked in North America and Europe for leading publications such as the Financial Times of London. His Financial Times career spanned 18 years (1979-1997) as an editor and writer based in London and New York. Rod has also travelled extensively in North America, Europe and Asia.
Rod is an adjunct professor in the New Zealand Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Unitech and he has contributed to several recent regional economic development projects.
In the 2004 Qantas Media Awards, Rod was a triple winner as Newspaper Columnist of the Year and Magazine Feature Writer of the Year (both in the business category), and recipient of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise's Travel Scholarship in recognition for his writing on NZ innovation.
In 2007 Penguin published Rod’s book about the New Zealand economy, titled Reinventing Paradise. The book is a collection of columns and interviews from Rod on how New Zealand has fared so far in the global market, the unique challenges that lie ahead for us (global warming, political instability, oil shocks, etc.) and the opportunities for New Zealand to earn a bigger, better, more sustainable living out in the world economy.
In the book Rod argues we are failing as a country to understand the extent of our opportunities in the world. But conversely, there is a lack of appreciation of how steep the challenges are; and how great the dangers if we don't succeed - we will eventually fail as an economy and society.
Great Music Artists
Ladi6
Ladi6 (Karoline Tamati) is amongst New Zealand’s premier female vocalists. She is renowned for her energetic live performances, sublime soulful vocals and conscious lyrics. Last year she released her debut solo album, and has cemented herself as a key player in the New Zealand music scene. Ladi6 started her musical career as part of New Zealands first all-girl hip-hop group Sheelahroc, who had the hit track If I Gave You The Mic. From the success of this track Ladi6 was nominated for Best Vocalist/MC at the 2003 bNet music awards. Her band Verse Two quickly gained a reputation as a top New Zealand live soul/hip-hop group. They won the bNet best new act award in 2004, toured New Zealand with packed shows and supported international acts such as The Roots, De La Soul and 50 Cent.
Ladi6’s touring and collaborations have established her a significant following throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe. She has performed at all the key festivals in New Zealand including the Big Day Out, Rhythm and Vines, Splore and Parihaka to name a few. She has toured Australia extensively with Scribe and doing her own solo shows, performing at festivals such as the St Kilda Festival and supporting top international artists in Australia such as Ohmega Watts and Freddie Cruger. She has toured Europe with Fat Freddys Drop, and has had solo performances in Paris and Germany and throughout the UK.
Ladi6s distinctive voice has featured on some of the top albums to come out of New Zealand in the last decade. Her vocals feature on standout tracks by some of Aotearoas finest talent, including Shapeshifter, Scribe, Fat Freddy’s Drop and 50 Hz and internationals such as top German Hip Hop artist Sepalot. Ladi6s highly anticipated and long awaited debut solo album Time Is Not Much is produced by Mu from Fat Freddys Drop and Parks was recently released.
King Kapisi
Samoan artist King Kapisi (Bill Urale) was the first Polynesian hip-hop artist to receive the prestigious APRA Silver Scroll Award for Songwriter of the Year for his single Reverse Resistance in 1999. The award-winning artist was nominated for 13 awards at the 2001 New Zealand B.Net Awards and took home seven of the prizes including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Music Video. His visually striking music videos, some of which have been directed by him, have also won numerous awards including Flying Fish Music Video Awards, Mai Time TVNZ and Juice TV.
King Kapisi has performed alongside Janet Jackson, Moby, Black Eyed Peas, Beastie Boys, Michael Franti & Spearhead and Red Hot Chili-Peppers and many more. He has gigged at almost every major music festival and event in New Zealand as well as tours to Australia, Japan, Fiji, Hawai’i, Tonga, Samoa and in the past two years touring extensively in Canada, Germany, Ireland, England, Norway and the USA.
This year sees Kapisi completing work on a project in collaboration with Adidas and the All Blacks, creating music for the worldwide rugby campaign to be released online.
Throughout 2009 King Kapisi is working on his reggae album ‘Majestic Riddims’ under the name ‘Mr Majesty’, as well as producing the debut album of 20 year hip-hop veteran Teremoana Rapley and his own fourth album release Hip-Hop Lives Here due for release in September.
