Nestled on the eastern side of Wellington’s Mount Victoria, investigative journalist Nicky Hager walks us into the house he’s occupied most of his life.
A house he built with his own hands.
“I was working as a builder around Wellington,” he says.
“I hadn't even heard of investigative journalism when I started to do it, which is really true.”
Although many of the fundamental skills were the same - a keen eye for the smallest yet crucial details to make a building (or story) strong and a dedication to hard work.
“Building taught me discipline. It taught me things like don’t sit and having a cup of tea, get on with the work. Structural thinking and planning. Yes, I think the best work is kind of interdisciplinary.”
The proof of which lies in his body of work, now topped with an official honour.
Hager’s been named an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in today’s King’s Birthday Honours list.
“I was very surprised. I hadn’t known it was coming. I thought, ‘some good person has gone to a lot of trouble to nominate me’.”
While many journalists have received similar honours, he is the first to receive a citation that specifically references a contribution to investigative journalism.
“I don’t think people go into investigative journalism because they want to get an award at the end.”
His journey to the award has been anything but plain sailing.
He’s authored seven books during his career, holding people in power to account.
From his debut novel Secret Power, detailing the role New Zealand’s intelligence services played within an international spy network along with the likes of the US and Australia, to the infamous Dirty Politics, which laid bare the backhanded tactics used by politicians to smear opponents.
It hasn’t always been easy.
“I suppose the thing I least enjoy is the publication time. Because invariably, people who don't like being held to account are going to say you're a liar and a cheat and that you've made it up.”
Over the years, his work has held politicians, NZDF personnel and police to account – often at great cost. (Source: 1News)
“With each book or each major revelation, there was a reliably predictable thing, which is that people would say that's a conspiracy theory - which used to irk me immensely – but then the information would spread around, and eventually it would be accepted.”
But not without a fight in many cases, in and out of courtrooms.
After publishing Dirty Politics, his home was raided by police, trying to uncover his source for the book’s damning revelations.
“I had no idea that Dirty Politics would be such an explosion.”
The book made sure his name was crossed off many political parties’ Christmas cards list, but he says his reception by the public is what meant more to him.
“I couldn't go out on the street or to the supermarket for maybe a year or two after (publishing Dirty Politics) without someone coming up to congratulate me. I was blown away. Walking the dog out and about, every single time, there would be at least one person who thanked me. So I don't feel deprived of good feedback from the public.”
He faced an equally arduous battle in defending his book, Hit and Run, which he co-authored with Jon Stephenson, which shone a light on New Zealand’s Defence Forces in Afghanistan, and whether they had any role in covering up civilian deaths.
“I think was one of the hardest things I've done. It was a very joyless task to have so many denials and so many resources thrown at disproving the book. But I've thought about this, and if I was in the same position again and had the same sources again, I would definitely do it again because it's done good.”
The book eventually led to a government inquiry and a major overhaul of military oversight.
He says he hardly ever takes a break in between investigations, instead making sure there’s another story to dive into as soon as he wraps up another.
Singing in choirs and tramping are two of his favourite pastimes.
But he says he’s not planning on stepping back from his work any time soon.
“I want to say this very clearly - this is not an end-of-career award for me. There's many big projects, good projects coming down the line.”
So people in power should watch out?
He just nods and smiles.
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