Deb Webber

Works

Deb has worked extensively as a psychic medium throughout Australia and New Zealand. She has her own company named Seeds of Energy Pty Ltd,[1] which was started in 2003.[2]

She is known for appearing on New Zealand television series Sensing Murder. On the show, she works as a psychic detective to help find evidence relating to unsolved murder cases.

Deb also writes a regular column, titled Life After Deb, in Australian magazine Woman's Day.[3]

Controversy

Critics have pointed out her show uses cold reading and other techniques used by entertainers like Derren Brown.

In a survey of various psychic's social media accounts in June 2020, investigator Susan Gerbic found that not only had Webber not predicted the Covid-19 pandemic but she planned a family vacation in Europe and Ireland which had to be interrupted. To which Gerbic noted in response to all the psychics she reviewed not seeing the pandemic coming, '"Oh, so, what good are you then?"'[4]

Caught on Hidden Camera

On 13 August 2004 Australian Channel 7 broadcast a show called "Caught on Hidden Camera", in which they asked Deb Webber to give readings to three people. The three asked to contact deceased relatives that did not exist. Deb Webber claimed she was able to 'contact' these people. This was later screened in New Zealand on the show Eating Media Lunch as "Sensing Bullshit".[5]

TVNZ psychic disagreement
“I was walking past the television and [Aisling] popped up, and I went 'oh, she's in a ditch, hole, in West Auckland. That's what I got, instantly.”

Deb Webber to Paul Henry on Breakfast[6]

Deb Webber was involved in controversy regarding a high-profile missing child case in New Zealand in October 2009.

The family of missing child Aisling Symes were introduced to Sensing Murder medium Deb Webber by state broadcaster Television New Zealand (TVNZ), a move which was criticised in the media due to Aisling only having disappeared two days previously.[7] One policeman said when questioned if the New Zealand police would use comments made by Webber on television show Breakfast: "I'm totally aghast - it seems like a totally commercial play".[6]

TVNZ responded with the following statement: "We're not trying to push a psychic message to make money and get ratings".[6] Hundreds of e-mails were sent to the station.[6]

Other Prominent New Zealand Psychics
gollark: The semantic search thing could be highly cool and good™ if I can make it not use 3818911 RAM.
gollark: Minoteaur inevitably.
gollark: Possibly not Spotify.
gollark: YTDL actually downloads from many other sites.
gollark: Increasing Haskell incursions threaten the fabric of reality.

References
  1. "Contact :: Deb Webber". debwebber.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. "Australia Business Listing". AUS61 Business. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  3. "Deb Webber". debwebber.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  4. Gerbic, Susan. "They Oddly Did Not See This Coming". Skeptical Inquirer. Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. "Sensing Murder: Sleuths or scammers?". Stuff. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  6. Matt Nippert (11 October 2009). "TV psychic row breaks out as police search for missing girl". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  7. John Drinnan (9 October 2009). "Media: TVNZ role in toddler case unsettling". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
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