When The Civilian satirical website appeared in 2013, with headlines such as ‘Novopay debacle solved by restarting computer’, it instantly caused a sensation, attracting thousands of followers and a threat of legal action against its founder, Canterbury University political science graduate, Ben Uffindell.

This year, the Civilian Party, which promises free ice cream and a ban on satire, created a minor furore when it attracted electoral funding. In this session, Steve Braunias, author of the ‘Secret Diary of…’ series in the Sunday Star-Times, finds out what makes Ben Uffindell tick. Eavesdrop on what promises to be a fascinating conversation.