Great Kiwi journalism, delivered weekly
-- 26 November 2019 --


Welcome to the latest edition of The PressPatron Post! Each week we share top journalism from across our community of Kiwi media sites.

In this week's issue: Newsroom advocates for the rights of sexual assault victims, The Spinoff explains the unfolding donations scandal with NZ First, E-Tangata looks at the contested and forgotten history of Aotearoa, and more.

Below you will find some of the best investigations, analysis and opinion pieces that have resonated with local supporters of independent media. If you're enjoying our newsletter, click here to support us.

Alex Clark (Founder/ CEO)

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Why victims' sexual history is irrelevant

"Why it is we allow women’s histories to be dragged into trials in an effort to allow men to go free from harming - or in this case killing - them […] Research has consistently shown that of the 10 percent of victims who report sexual violence to the police, a minority end up with a court date, and those who go through the court process all found it 'traumatic' and 'degrading'."

> Support Newsroom >

The NZ First donations scandal is very serious, and won't let Jacinda Ardern hide

"Leaks of NZ First Foundation records raise big questions about the party’s funding, and there’s every chance of more to come. A glance at history suggests the scale of the problem […] Donors to the foundation include food manufacturers, racing interests, forestry owners and wealthy property developers."

> Support The Spinoff >

Newsroom wins Best Current Affairs

Newsroom Investigates, the team led by journalist Melanie Reid that broke the Oranga Tamariki 'uplifts' controversy and stopped desecration of an island in Fiji, won the top honour for current affairs at the NZ TV Awards last week. A big congrats to their team, and a huge thanks to all of their PressPatron supporters who played a pivotal role in making this coverage possible!

> Support Newsroom >
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The streaming wars have only just begun

"The storm will only grow. Kiwi viewers face increasing fragmentation not just of sports rights, but also TV shows and movies being divided up among premium providers as competition in video streaming intensifies."

> Support Noted >

Not one iota of evidence

"Over the years, a number of people have been heavily invested in promoting alternative theories about the first people to settle this country. According to one claim, ships from Europe and China visited New Zealand long before Māori arrived from Polynesia — and Northland was actually first settled by Celts. Not Māori."

> Support E-Tangata >

On Rose Lu and her gorgeous, groundbreaking book of essays

"In All Who Live on Islands, Lu explores growing up in small rural towns where she and her family were often the only Chinese. She writes about prejudice, isolation, expectations, family dynamics. But it was the internalised racism, Lu says, that was the great silent battle."

> Support The Spinoff >

Crafting Aotearoa: The Ancestry of Te Aute

"Most people have forgotten that the paper mulberry plant made it all the way to Aotearoa […] The paper mulberry originated in Southeast Asia and made its way across the Pacific as a canoe plant, carefully stored, cultivated and beaten into cloth."

> Support E-Tangata >
Did you enjoy these articles? This is just a small selection from Aotearoa's largest network of independent media sites!