Tessa Duder CNZM OBE will be answering the question ‘Who is Sarah Mathew and why is she important in Auckland’s history?’ Tessa is a acclaimed New Zealand author of novels for young people, short stories, plays and non-fiction. Perhaps she is less well for her success at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games where she won a swimming silver medal. As a writer, she is primarily known for her Alex quartet and long-term advocacy for New Zealand children’s Literature. As an editor, she has also published a number of anthologies. In 2020 she received the Prime Minister’s award for Literary Achievement in acknowledgement of her significant contributions to New Zealand fiction.
