From the Floor

Part of VERB Readers and Writers Festival 2026

Step into the chamber and imagine the future we could build. Drawing on their recent books, four formidable writers deliver their own maiden speeches, sharing hopeful visions of possibility, followed by a conversation with Toby Manhire.

Kaeden Watts’ (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tūhoe) contribution to Kiwis in Climate offers awareness to climate solutions; Lucy O’Hagan’s Everything But the Medicine reveals the realities of healthcare; co-editor of 50 Years of The Waitangi Tribunal – Whakamana i Te Tiriti, Carwyn Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa), brings deep insight into Māori rights and politics; and Trish Harris celebrates the lives of Deaf and disabled people in Out of the Box, showcasing stories that defy society’s barriers.

This event will be NZSL interpreted.

12pm Sunday 27 September 2026

See Ticketing T&Cs.