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Matt Nippert

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Matt Nippert
Born
Matthew Godfrey Nippert

1979 (age 45–46)
Alma mater
OccupationJournalist
EmployerThe New Zealand Herald
Known forInvestigative journalism
Notable work'Tax gap' series of articles (2016)

Matthew Godfrey Nippert (born 1979) is a New Zealand investigative journalist. His 2016 series of articles for the New Zealand Herald has been credited with helping to drive New Zealand tax reform.

Education

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Nippert grew up in the Hutt Valley. He has an honours degree in public policy from Victoria University of Wellington, where he was a contemporary of a future prime minister, Chris Hipkins – they served together on the executive of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) in 1999.[1]

After abandoning a journalism course at Auckland University of Technology, Nippert won a Fulbright Scholarship in 2005 and gained a Master of Science degree (graduating with honours) from Columbia School of Journalism.[2][3]

In 2018, Nippert won a Press Fellowship to Wolfson College, Cambridge.[4]

Career

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As a student, Nippert was deputy editor of Salient, the weekly student magazine published by VUWSA.[5]

Nippert began his career writing general interest feature stories with a preference for the arts. From 2010, he began to focus on business and white-collar crime.[6] He is a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.[2]

Nippert joined the The New Zealand Herald as an investigative reporter in 2014.[2] He has also worked for the New Zealand Listener, the New Zealand Herald on Sunday, the National Business Review and the Sunday Star-Times.

The 'tax gap' series

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Nippert's series of New Zealand Herald articles in 2016 revealed that 20 high-profile firms earning revenue in New Zealand paid a surprisingly low level of tax. The series was credited in parliamentary speeches for igniting pressure for corporate tax reform. It was excerpted in A Moral Truth: 150 Years of Investigative Journalism in New Zealand, edited by James Hollings.[3] Hollings opined that "Nippert is helping cement the role of investigative journalism as a core part of New Zealand public life".[3]

Awards

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  • 2024: New Zealand Shareholders' Association Business Journalism Awards – Best Business News story.[7]
  • 2018: Voyager Media Awards – Wolfson Fellow and Business Journalist of the Year.[4]
  • 2017: Canon Media Awards – Reporter of the Year and Best Investigation.[8]
  • 2016: EY New Zealand Business Journalism Awards – Business News Writer of the Year.[9]
  • 2016: Canon Media Awards – Reporter of the Year; Business News Writer of the Year, Best Innovation in Storytelling.[10]
  • 2015: EY New Zealand Business Journalism Awards – Journalist of the Year; Canon Media Awards – Business Reporter of the Year.[11]
  • 2009: Qantas Media Awards – Magazine Feature Writer of the Year (Junior).[12]
  • 2003: Aotearoa Student Press Association Awards – News Writer of the Year; Feature Writer of the Year.

References

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  1. ^ "Chris Hipkins: From 'quite different' child to his part in the Ardern 'quiet coup'". The New Zealand Herald. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "ICIJ member Matthew Nippert". Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Hollings, James (2017). A Moral Truth. Auckland: Massey University Press. pp. 419–429. ISBN 9780994141583.
  4. ^ a b "Matt Nippert: Putting NZ journalism in the global loop". RNZ News. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Matt Nippert: It's vital we open secrets to keep everyone honest". The New Zealand Herald. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  6. ^ "Behind the headline: Matt Nippert". The New Zealand Herald. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  7. ^ "NZME reporters win business journalism awards". NZ Herald. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Clean sweep at Canon Media Awards". NZ Herald. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  9. ^ "Herald's Nippert wins EY award". NZ Herald. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  10. ^ "NZME wins big at media awards". NZ Herald. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Herald duo make the news with top awards". NZ Herald. 26 June 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  12. ^ "Qantas Media Award winners – New Zealand News". NZ Herald. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.