Matt Nippert
New Zealand investigative journalist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Matt Nippert | |
|---|---|
| Born | Matthew Godfrey Nippert 1979 (age 46–47) |
| Education | |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Employer | The New Zealand Herald |
| Known for | Investigative journalism |
| Notable work | 'Tax gap' series of articles (2016) |
Education
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
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 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
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 and 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
- 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.