Russell Brown - Moderator

Russell Brown is a broadcaster, journalist and web publisher. He is the host of Māori Television’s Media Take, the founder of the Public Address group blog website and a member of the Digital Media Trust Board, which oversees the cultural heritage websites NZ On Screen and Audioculture. He has been writing and publishing internet content for 21 years.

Laura O’Connell Rapira

Laura O’Connell Rapira is the director of campaigns at ActionStation – a community campaigning organisation, representing over 120,000 members, that combines digital tools and people power to drive a fairer, more just and sustainable Aotearoa. She is the co-founder of RockEnrol – a volunteer-driven organisation that uses popular culture and grassroots community organising to build and activate political power for young people. Laura is passionate about unleashing the power of the crowd through digital and community organising, effective collaboration, powerful storytelling and values-based campaigning.

Toby Morris

Toby Morris is an Auckland-based, Wellington-bred cartoonist, comic artist and illustrator. He writes and draws the regular non-fiction comic series ‘The Pencilsword’ for The Wireless, and is half of the Toby & Toby team that produces an award-winning weekly column for Radio New Zealand’s website. With ‘The Pencilsword’ series, Toby attempts to provide accessible introductions to political and social issues. Using comics, he finds ways to engage readers who usually consider themselves outside of the traditional political conversation.

Steve Abel

Steve Abel is a musician and environmental activist. He is senior campaign advisor for Greenpeace New Zealand and has a particular interest in movement theory in the context of fomenting people-powered change in the era of global warming. Steve has been part of campaigns to stop native logging, to bring about the abandonment of the Marsden B coal-fired power station, and to oppose deep sea oil drilling. He devised the Climate Voter alliance and debate at the 2014 election.

Sina Brown-Davis

Sina Brown-Davis is of Te Roroa, Te Uri-o-Hau, Fale Ula and Vava’u descent. A member of the Māori women’s group Te Wharepora Hou, Sina is a long-time activist and commentator on Indigenous rights in local, regional and international forums.