Duncan Garner to talk very loudly in Hamilton
A bold and confrontational political journalist will speak at this month’s Wintec Press Club by the river of babbleon.
Radio Live host, 3rd Degree presenter and political scalp taker Duncan Garner is guest speaker at the Wintec Press Club free lunch extravaganza in Hamilton on May 23.
Garner, 40, will share his predictions and bold, confrontational opinions about this year’s election.
He says, “I’m coming via the Waikato Expressway – I need to use it before the Greens close it after the election.
“That’s if they win. Who will win? I’ll be giving my thoughts soon, and can’t wait to be there.”
The press club events, staged by the Wintec School of Media Arts, are held three times a year on behalf of journalism students at Wintec. As well as students and staff, the audience features an invite-only crowd of about 100 identities in sport, politics, business and the arts in the Waikato, Auckland, and beyond.
Past speakers include Michael Laws, actress Robyn Malcolm, the late Sir Paul Holmes, the late defence lawyer Greg King, Winston Peters, and TV3 political editor Patrick Gower.
Gower, Garner’s protégé and successor at TV3, spoke at the Press Club in August last year.
Garner says, “I know Paddy Gower was entertaining when he spoke but I’ve got a few war stories that are actually true.”
He was invited by Wintec editor-in-residence Steve Braunias, who says, “Duncan is a top dog in political journalism. He’s taken the scalps of numerous MPs over the years and it’s an honour to have him try and follow in the footsteps of Patrick Gower.”
Garner is a former political editor at TV3. He says, “I went to parliament initially for six weeks and I ended up leaving 17 years later.
“It’s like an asylum – full of lunatics and it’s hard to get out. I’m still recovering 18 months later.”
Braunias says he expected that various parliament lunatics, in the form of past and present MPs, will form part of the audience. Guest diners at previous press club events have included Jacinda Ardern, Guy Williams, Sir Colin Meads, Nandor Tanczos, Dame Malvina Major, Michele A’Court, Sarah Ulmer, numerous newspaper and magazine editors, models, business leaders, and lawyers.
Garner will speak for about 30 minutes at the Press Club luncheon, followed by a Q + A session.
The 12-2pm lunch will be held at the Ferrybank restaurant and convention centre in Grantham St, on the banks of the Waikato River in downtown Hamilton. It will be followed by a quiet and measured after-function at Hamilton establishment Bar 101.
