Bernard is a senior contributing editor of interest.co.nz. Until September 30, 2012 he was the managing editor. He worked for 18 years for Reuters, the FT Group and Fairfax as a financial journalist and editor. He is now the publisher of Hive News.

For the past five years, Ben has been a leading commentator and key advocate for Auckland politics, the Auckland and Unitary Plans, and transport issues. Prior to 2014, Ben was a consultant helping people to have their voices heard by the Auckland Council. Ben runs the Talking Southern Auckland blog site; Conversations and Collaboration with You on The South.

Jess Etheridge is a media adviser for Auckland Council, specialising in news coverage of Auckland’s network of parks and council Finances. Prior to joining council, she was a chief reporter across three of Fairfax Media’s Auckland community newspapers, and was a journalist for five years, mostly covering council news. She mostly uses and enjoys Twitter, having joined in March 2008, mostly tweeting about non-news and feminism.