Keith Locke Memorial Debate 2025

Keith will be remembered with a political debate on 3 July 2025. If there’s enough interest, the debate may become an annual event.

The moot: China is a threat to regional peace

Keith had a life-long interest in China and its role in international affairs, as well as a lifelong commitment to the value of respectful debate and listening to all sides of the story. Keith’s sister Maire Leadbeater spent a lot of time with Keith in his last months and believes he would be delighted about this event and the topic. Everyone is welcome, whether you wish to remember Keith or have an interest in the topic – and regardless of your views or place on the political spectrum.

Moderator

Simon Wilson 

Simon Wilson is a senior writer with the NZ Herald, where he contributes feature articles, columns and news reports on politics, climate change, social issues, urban design, housing, transport, the arts and other matters. He has been editor of Metro magazine, Auckland editor at The Spinoff, editor of Cuisine and Consumer magazines and chief subeditor of NZ Listener. Simon has won many awards for his work, including reviewer of the year, opinion writer of the year, magazine of the year (for Metro and Cuisine) and two for feature writer of the year. He is the author of HomeGround: The story of a building that changes lives (Massey University Press, 2022), editor of The Journal of Urgent Writing vol 2 (MUP, 2017), and author of a novel, The Age of Light (Penguin, 1994). In 2016 he chaired the non-fiction judging panel in the Ockham NZ Book Awards.

Affirmative

Leader: Hon Dr Wayne Mapp

Hon Dr Wayne Mapp, QSO, leader of the Affirmative is a former National MP for North Shore and former Minister of Defence (2008-2011). Dr Mapp’s time in parliament was contemporaneous with Keith’s time and the two had a good relationship despite political differences. His PhD is in international law, and he was a Professor of Law at Auckland University. He has also served in the NZ Territorial Army. Dr Mapp has a long-standing interest in China’s role in international affairs and in the maintenance of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. He has visited China both in an official and in a private capacity.

Dr Cam Calder

Dr Cam Calder, is a New Zealand doctor, business person, and politician. He represented the National Party as a member of the House of Representatives from 2009 to 2014. In caucus, he served on the Law and Order, Local Government, and Environment Select Committees and was chair of the Education and Science Select Committee. He was also a member of the Blue-Greens Caucus Committee and authored a paper on strategies to promote the decentralised generation of power from renewable sources. Since stepping away from parliament he has been a member of the Commonwealth Observer Team to the 2015 Sri Lankan Presidential election, has travelled widely in Central and South America and South East Asia whilst continuing work on restoring a 12th century ruin in S W France. He previously served as president of the French New Zealand Business Council and on the committee of the FIPJP, the global governing body of the sport in which he represented NZ- petanque.

Andrew Dickens

Andrew Dickens is a broadcaster of more than 40 years standing.  Starting as the Station Manager of Radio B at Auckland University, his winding path took him to the English Language station in Monaco, a breakfast show in London and a long career in Auckland and National radio. He was the top rating host of the Classic Hits breakfast show for 15 years.  But in the 15 years since he has been a stalwart on Newstalk ZB, presenting every show including the breakfast slot.  He writes for the Herald and has a Substack for those wanting more. 

Negative

Leader: Trevor Johnston

Trevor Johnston, leader of the Negative, has a long-time association with Asian and Chinese communities in New Zealand and offshore. In the 80s and 90s he pioneered the manufacture of plant-based protein foods and dairy substitutes within New Zealand along with manufacturing partners from the Chinese and Korean communities.  Initially supported by The Tindall Foundation, Trevor led the development and operation of The Warehouse Group’s labour and environmental assurance programmes throughout its China and broader Asian supply chains from 2000 until 2024. Trevor has travelled extensively within China, and is familiar with its contemporary and ancient history.  He is a member of the New Zealand China Friendship society and a close observer of New Zealand’s multifaceted relationship with the People’s Republic of China.

Dr Marco de Jong

Dr Marco de Jong is a Pacific historian and lecturer at the AUT Law School. He was raised in Tāmaki Makaurau with ties to Papa Puleia in Sāmoa where he holds the chiefly title Faumuinā. His work details the history of regional politics and environmental governance in the Pacific Islands with a particular focus on Indigenous knowledge, nature conservation, anti-nuclearism, and climate change. Prior to joining AUT, Marco completed a doctorate at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar and worked in civil society organisations advocating for an independent, nuclear free, and Pacific-led foreign policy for Aotearoa.

Dr Arama Rata

Dr Arama Rata belongs to Ngāruahine, Taranaki and Ngāti Maniapoto. She is an independent researcher with current projects on Indigenous solidarities and internationalism, decolonial methodologies, and liberatory pedagogies. Dr Rata is Steering Group Member and former Co-director of leading progressive foreign policy research and advocacy group Te Kuaka.

Details

Date: July 3, 2025

Venue: the Irish Club Hall Rocky Nook Ave, (just inside Fowlds Park) Sandringham

Time: 7pm (cash bar from 6pm)