Embracing Futures Thinking
A speaker series is an integral part of the ongoing development of the Strategic goals and objectives – Embracing Future Thinking.
High profile speakers are being invited to Hawke’s Bay to challenge and ignite local people on the global perspectives and challenges for our region. The speaker series is usually a breakfast event in Napier or Hastings.
Online Video Presentations from our speakers are available courtesy of Television Hawke's Bay.
On this page
“Has Hawke's Bay risen to the challenges and opportunities?” was the title for this event on Friday 14 August 2009 at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House.
We welcomed back Rod Oram and asked him to bring us up to date from where he left off from his first visit in May 2008. A lot has happened on the economic and political fronts since that time, both nationally and internationally.
Hon Justice Joe Williams spoke about the promises of the Treaty of Waitangi (Tiriti o Waitangi) at Hawke's Bay Regional Council’s breakfast meeting on 1 May 2009.
Justice Williams (Ngati Pukenga and Te Arawa (Waitaha, Tapuika)) was appointed as a judge of the High Court in October 2008 and is a leading specialist in Māori legal issues.
Justice Williams was the first Māori Law lecturer at Victoria University, and has also worked in law practices. He has served as a Māori Land Court judge, was chairman of the Waitangi Tribunal and in September last year was. He was educated at Lindisfarne College, Hastings.
He spoke at the first of the Regional Council’s “Embracing Futures Thinking” breakfast speaker series this year.
Justice Williams shared his insights on the promises of the Treaty in Hawke’s Bay, the importance of relationships and the role of local government.
Since leaving politics Simon has been working internationally with governments, businesses and research institutions on climate change and wider sustainability issues. For six years he was Chairman of the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the OECD in Paris for whom he continues to work in a part-time capacity.
Now back in New Zealand he is involved in a variety of policy and business projects. He is currently chairman of Containers can Ltd, owned by one of New Zealand’s leading research institutes; a director of Holcim (NZ) Ltd; and a consultant to PricewaterhouseCoopers. More recently he has accepted the role as a visiting fellow at the University of Otago.
- Wednesday 10 September – ‘A conversation with Vicki Buck’ very focused on climate change – 7am at Napier War Memorial Centre.
Vicki Buck is a dynamic woman with many talents, and most essentially for our focus in Hawke’s Bay, she was nominated in 2008 as one of the 50 people who could reverse the effect of climate change. You may have seen an article about her in the launch issue of “Good” magazine.
After nine years as Mayor of Christchurch, Vicki was involved in educational causes for a period. Her energy is now in a number of business ventures focused on renewable energy, including Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation, a bio-fuel company, and mi49 aimed at limiting methane production, and she is a Director of NZ Windfarms Ltd and Celsiasº an eco-website.
Peter Neilson, CEO of the Business Council for Sustainable Development, gave a presentation in Hastings “How Hawke’s Bay can prosper in a new low carbon world”.
At the launch of the Embracing Futures Thinking speaker series on 15 May, some 130 guests enjoyed a breakfast meeting with Rod Oram, well-known economic commentator. He spoke about the current global setting, the speed of change and Hawke’s Bay’s potential in this setting.
Register for this event
Please email hbfutures@hbrc.govt.nz to register for this event. Please feel free to invite others who might appreciate this speaker.
Cost for breakfast
While we are happy to bring top speakers to Hawke’s Bay, we have a modest charge for the breakfast of $15 pp and pre-payment is preferred.
Please contact 06 833 8075 or email hbfutures@hbrc.govt.nz to register and you will be provided with a reference number to use when making the internet payment or a form to return with a cheque. Or you can drop in to Hawke's Bay Regional Council in Dalton St (note we have no credit card facilities).
Supporting young leaders
We are inviting local young people who are leaders in their community to the speaker series. Would you or your organisation like to help these young people attend by sponsoring the cost of the breakfast for one or two of them, or their whole group? Please email us at hbfutures@hbrc.govt.nz if you would like to support future regional leaders in this way.
Presentation material
Copies of presentation material are available on this website following each event. Video can take up to a week to be included.