Inaugural Bruce Jesson Critical Writing Fund Awards - 16th August 04
Wellington researchers Nicky Hager and Tina McIvor have won the first awards from the new Bruce Jesson Critical Writing Fund.
The fund has been set up by the Bruce Jesson Foundation to encourage the kind of critical, analytical journalism that the late Bruce Jesson produced in Metro, The Republican and in books until his death in 1999.
It will initially allocate $3000 a year, and has split the first award equally with $1500 each to Hager and McIvor.
Hager has written many articles and books. He was inspired by Bruce Jesson to write his first major piece of research, a history of Tasman Pulp and Paper looking at the interaction between the company, the government and the local people. Two of his most recent books were "Secret Power" (1996), about New Zealand's role in the Western spy network, and "Seeds of Distrust" (2002), the book that revealed a cover-up of genetically engineered sweet corn that was planted in New Zealand in 2000.
He will use the Jesson Foundation award to work on a new book about New Zealand's alliance links with the US, Britain, Canada and Australia.
Tina McIvor coordinated the Benefit Rights Service at the Wellington People's Centre from March 2001 until last October, when she stopped fulltime paid work to become a mother. She still produces the People's Centre's Welfare Scene bulletin, and last November wrote a report on Female Financial Hardship and Debt Due to Marital Status.
She will use the Jesson award to research and write a report on the culture of the Ministry of Social Development's Benefit Control Unit.
Former Prime Minister David Lange, who was a personal friend of Bruce Jesson and has chaired the Jesson Foundation since it was established in 1999, said the Critical Writing Fund was designed to help people with limited financial resources to put the time and money required into producing critical, informed, analytical and creative writing that would contribute to public debate in New Zealand.
"Many people - journalists, academics, students, workers and people in all walks of life - have ideas for this kind of work, but can't afford to take the time off paid work, or need help with the cost of phone calls, books or travel," Lange said.
The foundation has put $15,000 from private donors into the Critical Writing Fund to fund awards of $3000 a year for the next five years, and is seeking co-sponsors to make the fund permanent. Applications for the 2005 awards will be called in November.
The Bruce Jesson Foundation is a charitable trust funded by public donations and registered by the Inland Revenue Department as a donee organisation, making donations eligible for a tax rebate. Further information is at www.brucejesson.com.
Contact:
Nicky Hager, 04 384 5074.
Tina McIvor, 04 905 6814.
Critical Writing Fund Committee:
Simon Collins, 021 612 423.
Rebecca Jesson, 09 521 8118.
Finlay Macdonald, 09 415 4700.
or email: Bruce Jesson Foundation
The fund has been set up by the Bruce Jesson Foundation to encourage the kind of critical, analytical journalism that the late Bruce Jesson produced in Metro, The Republican and in books until his death in 1999.
It will initially allocate $3000 a year, and has split the first award equally with $1500 each to Hager and McIvor.
Hager has written many articles and books. He was inspired by Bruce Jesson to write his first major piece of research, a history of Tasman Pulp and Paper looking at the interaction between the company, the government and the local people. Two of his most recent books were "Secret Power" (1996), about New Zealand's role in the Western spy network, and "Seeds of Distrust" (2002), the book that revealed a cover-up of genetically engineered sweet corn that was planted in New Zealand in 2000.
He will use the Jesson Foundation award to work on a new book about New Zealand's alliance links with the US, Britain, Canada and Australia.
Tina McIvor coordinated the Benefit Rights Service at the Wellington People's Centre from March 2001 until last October, when she stopped fulltime paid work to become a mother. She still produces the People's Centre's Welfare Scene bulletin, and last November wrote a report on Female Financial Hardship and Debt Due to Marital Status.
She will use the Jesson award to research and write a report on the culture of the Ministry of Social Development's Benefit Control Unit.
Former Prime Minister David Lange, who was a personal friend of Bruce Jesson and has chaired the Jesson Foundation since it was established in 1999, said the Critical Writing Fund was designed to help people with limited financial resources to put the time and money required into producing critical, informed, analytical and creative writing that would contribute to public debate in New Zealand.
"Many people - journalists, academics, students, workers and people in all walks of life - have ideas for this kind of work, but can't afford to take the time off paid work, or need help with the cost of phone calls, books or travel," Lange said.
The foundation has put $15,000 from private donors into the Critical Writing Fund to fund awards of $3000 a year for the next five years, and is seeking co-sponsors to make the fund permanent. Applications for the 2005 awards will be called in November.
The Bruce Jesson Foundation is a charitable trust funded by public donations and registered by the Inland Revenue Department as a donee organisation, making donations eligible for a tax rebate. Further information is at www.brucejesson.com.
Contact:
Nicky Hager, 04 384 5074.
Tina McIvor, 04 905 6814.
Critical Writing Fund Committee:
Simon Collins, 021 612 423.
Rebecca Jesson, 09 521 8118.
Finlay Macdonald, 09 415 4700.
or email: Bruce Jesson Foundation
