The Department of Conversation with Pat Brittenden

Raf is a multi-disciplinarian with a background in finance, governance, strategy, policy and risk. Raf has worked in banking, finance, governance, strategy, and policy and risk. He’s worked for start-ups, not-for-profits, and government, bringing a variety of perspectives to his role as the leader of The Opportunities Party (TOP). Raf spent two terms as a Christchurch City Councillor from 2013 to 2019. Since leaving Council, he has worked with the Human Rights Commission and the NZ Police Assurance and Risk committee. Raf has a degree in Economics from the University of Manchester, a Graduate Diploma in Political Science, and a Masters Degree in International Law and Politics from the University of Canterbury. He has spent many years examining the friction between the public and private space, and is especially interested in the reform of our monetary, welfare and tax systems, as well as our political, administrative, and constitutional arrangements. Raf is looking to take TOP into parliament in 2023 by winning the seat of Ilam in Christchurch and hopefully taking one or two other TOP MPs with him on the list.

Tony Sutorius runs Porirua-based company Unreal Films. Sutorius first made his mark as a filmmaker with Campaign, a 1999 documentary about an election campaign. Since then his company has won a reputation as the company to call for films about elections, from training videos for electoral staff, to films promoting voting and explaining how it works. His latest project, Elements of Truth follows former National MP Jami-Lee Ross as he seeks to restore his political fortunes by joining forces with conspiracy theorist Billy Te Kahika Jr. ahead of the 2020 election. 

In the late 1960s David Fenton was a photojournalist, for Liberation News Service while also publishing in the NY Times, Life, Newsweek and others. In 1978 David was the director of Public Relations at Rolling Stone magazine. He was co-producer of the "No Nukes" concerts with Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor and many others in New York City, 1979. In 1982 David founded Fenton Communications to promote issue-oriented public relations campaigns focusing on the environment, public health and human rights. Since founding the company, he pioneered the use of professional P.R. and advertising techniques by not-for-profit public interest groups in the United States and around the world David also co-founded three independent not-for-profit organizations including the Death Penalty Information Center, which helps journalists cover evidence of innocence and racial bias in the death penalty system. David has just released his latest publication "The Activist’s Media Handbook, Lessons From Fifty Years as a Progressive Agitator" which discusses how to organize social media campaigns

Don McGlashan is a New Zealand composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who Is best known for membership in the bands Blam Blam Blam, The Front Lawn, and The Mutton Birds, before going solo. He has also composed for cinema and television. Among other instruments, McGlashan has played guitar, drums, euphonium and French horn. Don is about to embark on a nationwide tour and joins us to talk about life, the universe, music, his career and everything

Alex Holder is a British documentary filmmaker who filmed then-President Donald Trump and his family prior to the 2020 election loss to Joe Biden and on and in the lead up to Jan. 6, 2021 in his Discovery Channel, 3 part documentary series 'Unprecedented'. Later Holder was subpoenaed to testify before the Jan 6 House Select Committee and he provided them with hundreds of hours of footage that was shot of Trump, his family and the events surrounding Jan 6th that they captured. Alex spends an hour with us as we deep dive into Trump, his family and the documentary which can be seen in NZ on Three On Demand.

Sharyn Casey is a multi-talented broadcaster, content creator, writer and mother who has just finished hosting Dancing with the Stars and is about to return to her job co-hosting The Edge's drive show "Sharyn and Jayden" We talk women in media, parenting, dogs and more along with delving into tabloid intrusion into life ad what it means for public personalities sharing and/or over sharing their private lives.

Tom Mutch is a New Zealand-born journalist with a special interest in crime and conflict. A former U.K. parliamentary researcher focusing on defence and security, he is currently reporting from numerous locations in Ukraine on the Russian invasion.

Zack Nelson, from the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, has turned a love of repairing, into the most viewed cell phone repair channel on the internet. His simple explanations and brief tutorials have helped millions of people with repairs of their own. Outside of YouTube, his 'to-the-point' style of teaching has created instructional and informational videos for manufacturers and factories around the world. His entrepreneurial spirit has turned a hobby, into a lifestyle.

Pax is one of the most exciting comedians in New Zealand. Pax has appeared on a number of local television shows Including TV One's panel show Word Up, TV 3s 7 Days, Maori TVs Crack Up, the critically acclaimed Brown Eye and the 2016 NZ International Comedy Gala and most recently has written and performed in the story of his childhood, the brilliant Raised by Refugees.

Former Punk Rock band member, now Reverend, Spanky Moore joins us to chat about how relevant Easter is to Western society in 2022.

Investigative journalist Paula Penfold joins us to talk about her latest documentary, Disordered. Thomas is one of an estimated 3,000 New Zealand babies born every year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. His story is told in Stuff Circuit's latest documentary Disordered - which explores Aotearoa's shameful incidence of FASD

Bruce Pilbrow has been either the CEO, board member or marketing manager of several large NZ companies and organizations including Yellow, World Vision, Zeal, Kids 4 Kids, The Parenting Place, Canteen and where Pat and Bruce met at the Rhema Media Group. Bruce is the current CEO of the Spirit of Adventure Trust, a speaker and a transformer.