Cubee

What an unforgettable experience!
Standing on the stage at SkyCity Theatre, we had the opportunity to share the beauty and power of poetry recitation with such a wonderfully diverse audience.

Through poems about the moon from different Chinese dynasties, we travelled across thousands of years of history, weaving together Chinese and English recitation with the beautiful sounds of traditional Chinese instruments, including the guzheng, alongside the harp.

More than simply reciting poetry, we wanted to tell a story, a story about the moon, the emotions and meanings people have placed upon it for generations, and the spirit of the Mid-Autumn Festival: reunion, longing, love and connection.

What made the experience even more special was discovering the culture behind every poem while bringing the words to life through voice, rhythm and sound.

A beautiful reminder that poetry is not only something we read, it is something we can hear, feel, understand and share across cultures.

IT’S TOMORROW!!!

The GreatTalk 2026 National Speech Competition Grand Final is finally here!

📅 Sunday, 13 September 2026
⏰ 1:00 PM
📍 Sir Owen G Glenn Building, University of Auckland
12 Grafton Road, Auckland 1010

We can’t wait to see our incredible young speakers take the stage tomorrow!

SEE YOU THERE!

The countdown to The GreatTalk 2026 Grand Final is officially on!

Today, we’re delighted to introduce one of our Grand Final adjudicators Erin Simpson

A familiar face to generations of New Zealanders, Erin has spent more than 20 years in television, media, live events and digital content.
Best known as the host of more than 770 episodes of The Erin Simpson Show, Erin has interviewed international stars including Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, and has also appeared across well-known New Zealand programmes including What Now, Sticky TV, Red Carpet New Zealand and Sky Sport.

Beyond television, Erin is an experienced MC, speaker, producer and digital storyteller, with a remarkable ability to connect with audiences through warmth, energy and authentic storytelling.

We’re incredibly excited to welcome Erin to The GreatTalk 2026 National Speech Competition Grand Final, and can’t wait for our young speakers to benefit from her experience in communication, storytelling and audience engagement.

Meet Our Grand Final Round Judge Nancy Lu MP

Nancy is a Member of the New Zealand Parliament and holds a Mid-Career Master in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.

A familiar face at The GreatTalk, Nancy has adjudicated The GreatTalk competitions on multiple occasions, as well as the Race Unity Speech Awards, bringing her experience in leadership, public speaking and community engagement to support and inspire young speakers.

We’re honoured to have Nancy joining us once again and look forward to seeing her at the Grand Final! 🎤✨

Let’s continue meeting our amazing Grand Final judging panel!

Meet Josephine Carpenter, Deputy Chair of the Speech New Zealand Board, a highly experienced examiner, and a familiar face at The GreatTalk!
Josephine has joined us as a judge for The GreatTalk series many times, and we’re so excited to welcome her back again this year.

We can’t wait to have her with us at the Grand Final! 🌟

The GreatTalk Grand Final is on the way!
And it’s time to meet our amazing Grand Final judging panel!

Today, meet Dinie Bevers, Chair of Speech New Zealand Board, Speech New Zealand Examiner, and a highly experienced public speaking and communication educator.

We’re so excited to have such an experienced panel joining us this year, bringing fairness, professionalism and valuable insights to the competition, and making the Grand Final not only a competition, but also a wonderful learning experience for every young speaker.