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 the 'Spud King': Millionaire says farming 'better than sex'
Herald journalist Kurt Bayer meets a quiet, self-made millionaire who just loves farming.
McCaws' mansion: All Blacks legend builds luxury home in Wānaka
Planning documents show the scale of the multi-million dollar riverside development.
The town NZ forgot: Meet those refusing to leave the abandoned post-disaster zone
Kurt Bayer reports on a stoic group who refuse to leave ‘paradise’.
Animals shot dead by police: The numbers are revealed
Cows, dogs, sheep, deer, even a hare, all come in the firing line.
Bell of the brawl: NZ's youngest mayor survives no confidence vote
The future of the council had been hanging in the balance.
Gore council fight: Tension mounts ahead of this afternoon's showdown
Councillors to vote on motion of no confidence in NZ's youngest mayor.
Gore council spat: Key figures hunker down ahead of showdown
Councillors to vote tomorrow on motion of no confidence in NZ's youngest mayor.
Meet the 'Spud King': Millionaire says farming 'better than sex'
Herald journalist Kurt Bayer meets a quiet, self-made millionaire who just loves farming.
Blood and Gore: Inside split between mayor and CEO tearing a town apart
Kurt Bayer reports on the tumultuous tenure so far of NZ’s youngest-ever mayor.
Russian invasion: Nanaia Mahuta declines desperate Ukraine grain harvest plea
Documents obtained by Herald show how $11m NZ machines could’ve helped save food stocks.
Mainland tales: A day at the sheep sales
Herald journalist Kurt Bayer reports on an ageless Kiwi ceremony.
Gloriavale wins milk battle - on condition no child labour used on farms
Milk giant stopped milk collection from farms after child labour allegations.
Dairy farm worker murder trial: Colleague recounts grim body-in-bed discovery
Alana Bamber and her cousin Joshua Morris-Bamber deny killing farm worker.
Murder trial's dramatic twist: Accused's brother takes witness stand
Estranged wife and her cousin deny murder; lawyer says timeframe 'simply not credible'.
Wife accused of murder claimed husband 'beat the s*** out of me' days before killing
Alana Bamber and her cousin Joshua Morris-Bamber deny killing farm worker.
Wife accused of murder feared infidelity, 'wanted to make him suffer', court hears
Woman and her cousin deny plotting to kill dairy farm worker.
Dairy farm murder trial: Could brutal killer have pounced during a four-minute window?
Estranged wife and her cousin deny murder and say timeframe 'simply not credible'.
Gloriavale milk row: No child labour used on farms, court hears
Losing $9m a year contract would be 'devastating if not fatal blow' for community.
Chopper pilot's lucky escape: 'I didn't crash it, the machine crashed me'
Tony Ibbotson was within sight of home when his helicopter crashed.
No legs? No sweat - Amputation no setback for great NZ outdoorsman
Flesh-eating bug cost Ross Millichamp his legs, Kurt Bayer reports.
Big Read: Meth-fuelled burglar shot by farmer
The sorry saga could have had an even worse ending, reports Kurt Bayer.
West Coast floods: Stranded parents, kids in nappies rescued by chopper as floodwaters rise
A mother and two young children in nappies were helped off the helicopter.
'Heartbroken': Upset as Westport evacuates again; Worst rain still to come
Evacuations underway as mayor warns locals they could be away for up to three days.
Wild weather: Small West Coast town cut off as heavy rain closes in
Rain over the last 24 hours has made for Westport's wettest February day in 78 years.
West Coast downpour: State of emergency declared - residents told to prepare
Franz Josef and Haast are isolated due to the State Highway being blocked on either side.
Another one bites the dust: Popular festival cancelled for first time in 34 years
Organisers say restrictions and Covid in community makes it impossible.
Top NZ horse trainer denies animal cruelty allegations after racehorse dies
Trainer refutes wrongdoing and says he will fight charges.
Cocaine smuggling bust: Colombians claim innocence
Smugglers are alleged to have brought around 50kg of cocaine into NZ.
Cocaine bust: Arrested Colombians named for first time
Arrests came after one of NZ's biggest ever drug busts.
50kg of cocaine seized in 10-month police probe, suspected Colombian drug ring
Police say eight people have been arrested as part of the probe.
Back to the future: NZ tourist town adopts daylight saving all-year round
When NZ "springs forward" this weekend, one town will never go back.
Tragedy avoided: Giant ship collides with fishing boat
TAIC report: Both vessels were aware of each other - but acted too late.
Boar-derline: Pig hunter's kills parked up at airport
Sight of pig carcasses at busy airport criticised – but many voice support for hunter.
New salmon catch limits aim to help save wild Chinook species
Moves to limit salmon catches are critical for future generations, Fish & Game says.
PM commits $4 million for Mid Canterbury farmers affected by floods
Jacinda Ardern has spent the day in Canterbury, which was devastated by torrential rain.
Grim start to long weekend: Four dead in van and truck crash
"This is an absolute tragedy," area commander Inspector David Gaskin said.
'It's a kick in the guts': Historic farm station smashed in floods
'You're almost reduced to tears,' says farmer calling for more Govt help.
Canterbury flooding: PM gets aerial tour of soaked region
Bridges washed out, whole farms under water, as sun comes out.
Heartbreak, community spirit as flooding hits homes
Mop-ups under way already but torrential rain continues to fall.
The big dry: Drought hits farmers hard as winter looms
Concern grows with no rain on the horizon.
Tahr hunting tragedy: Mystery remains but experts have theories
DoC accepts it could improve information around hazards and risks.
Akaroa boil notice will lift by Easter holidays, say council officials
New reservoirs could cost $2m-$3m.
Freedom: Beached trawler finally refloated
The Remus ran aground on the South Island's southern west coast on Thursday.
Grounded: Fishing trawler stuck on remote beach
It's understood the vessel was trawling for albacore tuna, known as "chicken of the sea".
Amberley tyre fire: Man in court charged with arson
A man has been charged in connection with a tyre fire in North Canterbury.
Caught: Fishing company faces losing $20m trawler
Sanford admits fishing in protected zone.
63-year-old charged with arson over North Canterbury tyre fire
A large fire is blazing in Amberley, north of Christchurch
'They're one of our own': School pays tribute to family in chopper tragedy
Devastated friends of couple killed have gathered at family home.
Coroner's alarm: Cannabis implicated in six out of nine fatal road crashes
Stark warning comes after death of farm worker Thomas Goodman.
Remembrance Day: Kiwi father soldier's WWI trenches letter surfaces
William John Prouting met his son at the front. Months later, he was dead.
Canterbury woman denies killing husband
The wife of murdered farm worker Tony Waldron has denied killing him.
NZ gun law reforms: Firearms register finally here
Much-called for register should hit criminal underground's black market.
The millionaire chasing down F1 glory in a quiet corner of rural NZ
The world's fastest hypercar is being built in a quiet corner of rural NZ.
Massive Pigeon Valley blaze ruled accidental
The Pigeon Valley fire burned around 2300ha of commercial plantation forest.
Horse neglect: Elderly mare Tubby reduced to 'bag of bones'
Aged chestnut Tubby was found in a bad way on Canterbury farm.
'Lucky to be alive': Injured biker crawled along riverbed for help
With a shattered kneecap, Zach Stratford crawled 200m over a stony riverbed.
'Legend' pilot crashed fighting Tasman forest fire
Bill Reid suffered minor injuries during the hard landing
Nelson fires 'still the boss' after flare ups overnight
Female firefighter hospitalised yesterday with dehydration is "recovering well".
Civil Defence gives latest on Nelson fires
Fighting the blaze will take weeks, if not months, fire chief warns today.
Moment blaze began: 'Get the helicopters - and lots of them'
At 2.13pm Scott then phoned 111, then he took the first photo of the fire.
Pigeon Valley Fire: Time to scarper — with what?
When the time comes to flee, what do you grab?
Nelson bush fire: Horror as farmer puts down 60 burned sheep
The farmer said it was "an accident waiting to happen" with so much dry grass around.
Fire crews battle Culverden scrub fire
Large scrub fire raging in North Canterbury as blustery hot winds blow.
Not guilty plea in dead eels case
Nearly 2000 eels were found dead in Canterbury creek in April.
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.
Wanaka helicopter crash: The tragedy that took three good men
Investigators are trying to figure out how the chopper inexplicably fell from the sky.
Fish & Game row over dead man's money escalates
Audit launched after financial and $500k bequest concerns
Horse racing figure pleads not guilty to match-fixing
A Palmerston North man appeared in court on a match-fixing charge.
Major NZ disaster response shake-up
Review launched after 2016 Kaikoura earthquake and 2017 Port Hills fires
Young army bomb expert hurt during flare disposal
NZDF says injured bomb expert in a stable condition
Fish and Game audit over spending concerns
Concerns raised over how a dead man's bequeathed $500,000 was spent.
1080 drop halted after dozens of deer killed
1080 drop on Molesworth Station targeted possum but killed scores of red deer
Lifestyle block homicide: Police question neighbours
Police talk to neighbours after body found at Canterbury home.
$3.1 billion: House sellers still cashing in
House sellers across NZ are still cashing in despite some markets cooling off.
Farming couple to start again after cow loss
Last month their herd of 950 cows, along with another 200 younger beasts, were culled.
PM visits farmer struggling with M. Bovis cow culling
Ardern wanted to talk through the experience with farmers and what they've been through.