GM Education and Employment, Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira with a strong passion for and experience in the innovation of education. Bianca has been raised in her community of Takapuwahia and has used this experience to challenge the status quo of education; her drive to disrupt the current model of education comes from her own story in the school system and strong belief that change is now.

Bianca is currently a PhD candidate at Victoria University looking at the impact iwi education hubs have on Māori achievement. She is passionate about promoting positive outcomes for Māori in education by looking closely at where learning happens. 

“My intention has always been to work in a space that allows a greater voice for Māori whānau in education. I saw iwi-led in education hubs as a way to do this effectively and in a way that work for the community.”

Keynote Address: 'Everyone Has a Story', Monday 14 April, 9.30-10.20am

Everyone has a story—shaped by the past, lived in the present, and carried into the future. The story of Ngāti Toa is one of resilience, innovation, and determination, and it is this foundation that guides our vision for education today. Built from the lived experiences of our tūpuna, the realities of our present, and the aspirations of our mokopuna, our iwi-led approach to education is about more than just learning—it is about identity, connection, and empowerment.This presentation will share how Ngāti Toa is shaping an education system that reflects who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going. By embedding our stories, and our mātauranga into learning, we are ensuring that our tamariki and mokopuna grow up with the knowledge and confidence to write their own future. Our story is still unfolding, and together, we are the authors of what comes next.

Bronwyn Hayward is professor of Political Science and Director of Gei Pūawaitanga- The Sustainability, Citizenship and Civic Imagination research group at the Unviersity of Canterbury. She has served as author and coordinating lead author of IPCC reports (and is  current review editor of the IPCC cities special report) and has written and research extensively on children and youth particiation in environmental education and the importance of cultural and community strenght based approaches to citizenship and climate education.

Keynote Address: 'Defending Democracy: Social science education, climate change and social cohesion', Tuesday 15 April, 9.00-9.55am

Civics and Citizenship education has never been needed more in a rapidly changing political, environmental and social contexts but it is currently under significant attack - as conservative governments  in particular position social science as a threat to their political objectives. However this has not always been the case, "social cohesion" through citizenship education has also been the project of  conservative  governments in the past. This paper considers why critical citizenship education is now positioned as threatening to political power, particuarly  in  Aotearoa New Zealand.In discussion we will consider how to advance democracy, social cohesion and climate justice based on the consitutional context of Tiriti and Constitutional education 

Patrick leads a team that supports the Retirement Commissioner to shape our policy and research work and activities. He oversees our research programme, the statutory three-yearly Review of Retirement Income Policies and the statutory role to monitor the effects of the Retirement Villages Act, the Regulations and Code of Practice. He has had roles in organisations including the New Zealand Treasury, Productivity Commission, NZIER and in a London-based think tank. His PhD examined the labour supply effects of the Working for Families Tax Credits.

Keynote Address: 'The economics of an aging population: how do we plan for the future',
Wednesday 15 April, 8.55-9.50am

Long-term thinking is needed to highlight future needs and illustrate the impact of current trends. This is especially important in areas like retirement income policy – where demographic changes loom and policy changes need to be signposted early and to stand the test of time.This presentation will outline work underway at Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission to investigate how Aotearoa New Zealand could look in 2050 and what this may mean for our retirement income system.Of course, looking out this far isn’t a simple exercise. There are things that we can be confident about. But there are also things we can’t be so sure about.Given this mixture of knowns and unknowns, this presentation will outline different scenarios for how things could look in 2050. These scenarios vary depending on how key assumptions play out, such as how the economy performs or how policy is developed.The value of this approach is that it highlights the future is not set in stone. There are different paths we could take and the policy choices that we make now and over the next few decades matter.