Keith Locke will be remembered with a political debate to be held on 3 July 2025 at the Irish Club Hall Rocky Nook Ave, (just inside Fowlds Park) Sandringham (7 pm). A cash bar will be open from 6 pm.

The moot is “That China is a threat to regional peace’ and the moderator is Simon Wilson.

The debaters are Dr Wayne Mapp, Dr Cam Calder and Andrew Dickens: affirmative.

Trevor Johnston, Dr Marco de Jong and Dr Arama Rata; negative. 

Keith had a life-long interest in China and its role in international affairs as well as a lifelong commitment to the value of respectful debate and listening to all sides of the story.

‘As one who spent a lot of time with Keith in his last months, I strongly believe that he would be delighted to hear about this event and would support our choice of topic.’

‘We are encouraging people who wish to remember Keith to attend, as well as those who have an interest in the topic regardless of their views or place on the political spectrum,’ said his sister Maire Leadbeater.

Hon Dr Wayne Mapp, QSO, leader of the Affirmative is a former National MP for North Shore and former Minister of Defence (2008-2011). Dr Mapp’s time in parliament was contemporaneous with Keith’s time and the two had a good relationship despite political differences. Dr Mapp’s   PhD is in international law, and he was a Professor of Law at Auckland University.  He has also served in the NZ Territorial Army. Dr Mapp has a long-standing interest in China’s role in international affairs and in the maintenance of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.  Dr Mapp has visited China both in an official and in a private capacity.

Trevor Johnston, leader of the Negative,  has a long-time association with Asian and Chinese communities in New Zealand and offshore. In the 80s and 90s he pioneered the manufacture of plant-based protein foods and dairy substitutes within New Zealand along with manufacturing partners from the Chinese and Korean communities. 

Initially supported by The Tindall Foundation, Trevor led the development and operation of The Warehouse Group’s labour and environmental assurance programmes throughout its China and broader Asian supply chains from 2000 until 2024. 

Trevor has travelled extensively within China, and is familiar with its contemporary and ancient history.  A member of the New Zealand China Friendship society and  a  close observer of New Zealand’s multifaceted relationship with the People's Republic of China .

Further information about the debaters is available at https://keithlocke.org.nz/

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