News/Events/Press

Possum Debate and Wilderness Auction Wellington, 5 August, Conservation Week

This inaugural event represented a milestone for the Foundation. For the first time during Conservation Week the corporate and business community had an opportunity to participate, along with their clients, in Conservation Week. The Foundnation as host and orchestrator was thrilled to witness hundreds of people from across the country assemble for a night of merriment and possum discourse.

The evening reached a crescendo with a magnificent solo from opera trained comedian and debater Pinky Agnew with her 'Ode to Possums' that almost moved debater and lawyer James Elliott to tears. Earlier James had led his team's charge with an affectionate tale of his abandonment in a forest to be raised by an unlikely band of merry possums who he referred to as his real mum and dad.

This emotional tale telling and opera singing did rather grind to a standstill when, following John Bishops brilliant summary and adjudication two erstwhile South Islanders Peter and Justine Salter from the historic Puke Pub and Bushmans Centre took the stage in possum fur lined shorts and singlet with trays of piping hot possum pies. Queues were sighted requesting seconds at the close of the evening following pudding.

A highlight of the Wilderness Auction component was the fierce duel between the American Ambassador Charles Swindells and passionate ocker and enviromower king Shane Williams for the 'part' as an extra in King Kong. The bidding intensified well past the $2,000 mark and at this noisy shuddering point a truce was called and Peter Jackson's kind offer was later increased from one to two extras.

In total the Possum Debate and Wilderness Auction raised $16,000 and entertained hundreds of conservationists from around the country and beyond.

 Celebrity Debate and Wilderness Auction (385k)