Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett to speak at hottest media event in New Zealand

Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett is guest speaker at the next Wintec Press Club free lunch extravaganza in Hamilton.

She will make a speech at the hottest media event in New Zealand on Friday 9 June.

Her appearance follows the previous speaker, Labour’s deputy leader Jacinda Ardern, who addressed the Wintec Press Club on 30 April.

Press Club life president Steve Braunias said it was not exactly a case of like for like.

“Paula and Jacinda are not alike,” he said.

“But they’re both powerful political figures, and their performances will be crucial in the upcoming 2017 election campaign.

“This marks an opportunity to see the deputy Prime Minister up close and personal, and I’m sure the assembled hacks at the Press Club will give her a lively reception.”

It’s expected Bennett will talk about her relationship with the news media.

She will speak for about 30 minutes at the luncheon, followed by a question and answer session.

The Wintec Press Club is staged on behalf of journalism students at Wintec’s School of Media Arts. An invite-only audience of about 100 regularly includes the biggest names in New Zealand journalism as well as politicians, entrepreneurs, sports personalities, and entertainers.

Lorde attended last year, and speakers have included Patrick Gower, Dave Dobbyn, Robyn Malcolm, Heather du Plessis-Allan and Sir Paul Holmes.

Past and present journalism students from Wintec will be in attendance at the 9 June event. Wintec graduates include Jenna Lynch at Newshub, Brooke Bath at Stuff, and other reporters in newsrooms from Auckland to Invercargill.

The 12-2pm lunch is invite only, and will be held at the Ferrybank restaurant and conference centre in Grantham St, on the banks of the Waikato River in central Hamilton.