Kurt Bayer is NZ Herald's South Island Head of News based in Christchurch, covering the South Island and stories of national interest.
Kurt Bayer is South Island Head of News for the NZ Herald based in Christchurch, covering the South Island and stories of national interest. He has been with the Herald since 2011. Prior to being at the Herald, Kurt spent a decade working with a national news agency providing coverage for regional, national and international publications including The Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday, Daily Express, Sun, The Times, Sunday Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, and Scotsman. Since 2011 post the Christchurch earthquake, Canterbury has provided a busy beat, with more quakes, royal commissions of inquiry, long-running insurance wrangles, plus the ongoing fallout from the Pike River mine disaster, the March 15 terror attacks, and high-profile murder cases like the ‘Black Widow’ Helen Milner, the Ashburton WINZ slayings, and dozens of others. While often reporting on live and breaking stories, Kurt also has an interest in covering military history, leading the Herald’s WWI centenary coverage and ghost-writing the Sunday Times number one bestseller, The Forgotten Highlander, as well as antiquaries, cricket, and quirky human interest stories. In 2021, he was named Voyager Media Awards Crime & Justice Reporter of the Year while also winning Regional Journalist of the Year. In 2017, he went to write about the South Island Gumboot Throwing Championships and came away with the longest throw of the day and an invitation to compete at the national championships, finishing fourth – behind Dame Valerie Adams. You can contact Kurt Bayer at kurt.bayer@nzherald.co.nz.
'Meet a Muslim': National roadshow ahead of mosque attacks anniversary
'Ignorance leads to misunderstandings,' says imam touring NZ.
Quake anniversary: Why is Christchurch still broken?
Ten years on from the February 22, 2011 the city's rebuild is ongoing.
Never again: How will NZ prevent future terror attacks?
Royal commission report into Christchurch mosque shootings released this afternoon.
Wicked, cruel, pitiless mass murderer jailed indefinitely
The man behind the Christchurch terror attack will never be released from prison.
Cruel, depraved 'monster': Mosque gunman will never be released from jail
Christchurch mosque gunman Brenton Tarrant will never be released from jail.
'What courage': Judge commends mosque Eftpos hero, prompting applause from court
On March 15, Abdul Aziz grabbed an Eftpos-card reader and threw it at Tarrant.
Victim's son to gunman: 'You became the trash of society'
Son leaves courtroom calling the man who killed his father a 'piece of s***'.
Tears, heartache, anger and forgiveness as mosque victims face mass killer
Day one of the mosque attacker's sentencing saw victims read impact statements in court
Mosque attacks sentencing: 'This is a day for justice that we have long been waiting for'
The sentencing of the convicted mass killer begins in Christchurch today.
NZ Army's $100m makeover: Chief of Army speaks
Herald senior journalist Kurt Bayer sits down with Major-General John Boswell.
Coronavirus: NZ officials probe possible community cases
Elderly told to stay at home, pubs and clubs to stay open - with restrictions.
The forgotten letter: Sir Edmund Hillary's final wishes revealed
Hillary's final wishes: "In the unfortunate business of anything going wrong ..."
Fine holiday weather for most this week
Thunderstorm warning for inland North Island, but otherwise mostly fine.
Breakthrough: DNA could crack Kirsty Bentley murder case
She went missing 20 years ago today. Now, there are hopes new methods can catch her killer
Wife dies of 'broken heart' three days after husband
Taupo couple Denzil Lovell, 84, and Hazel Lovell, 78, died 3 days apart.
Harness racing corruption probe widens to Auckland
13 harness racing people have so far been charged over Operation Inca
Horse was drugged before harness race, police allege
The new allegations emerged in court today.
Race-fixing allegations denied
Twelve arrested over Operation Inca appear in court
Son jailed after bashing mum with frying pan
Peter Parekh says he "snapped" during argument with his 74-year-old mother.
Horse racing figure pleads not guilty to match-fixing
A Palmerston North man appeared in court on a match-fixing charge.
Mystery over NZ sailor's ID at bottom of Pearl Harbour
Kiwi sailor Nigel Foster's naval ID card was dredged up at Pearl Harbour.
Rogue supermarket ordered to stop scanning customers
Countdown apologises to shoppers after Ferrymead customers slam "heavy-handed" tactics.
Gang member jailed for Mongrel Mob funeral ambush
Gang member Tuterangi Moeke jailed for ambushing Mongrel Mob funeral.
$3.1 billion: House sellers still cashing in
House sellers across NZ are still cashing in despite some markets cooling off.
NZDF gets extra $360m
Defence Minister: "Funding will help the Defence Force meet increasing demand."
Canterbury's rebuild gets $300m boost
Cash boost could fast-track new stadium and residential red zone development.
Kiwi farmer jailed for touching barmaid in Singapore
'Convivial joker' charged with outraging woman's modesty.
Canterbury crush Wanganui challenge
Amidst rampant Lions fanfare, Ranfurly Shield rugby is back.
Poppy Appeal to help NZ's veterans
Ambassadors help launch RSA's annual Poppy Appeal
Drawings by Kiwi artist go under hammer
Drawings by one of New Zealand's long-forgotten great artists have surfaced at an auction in Los Angeles.
'He saved her life and sacrificed his own'
Man who died saving his young niece from drowning at a South Taranaki beach yesterday has been named by police.