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Martin van Beynen

マーティン・ヴァン・ベイネン

Martin van Beynen

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Christchurch, New Zealand
Nationality
New Zealand
Languages
English
Residence History
West Auckland, New Zealand (moved at age 11) → Diamond Harbour, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand

Career

Occupations
journalist, columnist, writer
Active Years
1989-
Affiliations
The Press (Christchurch), Otago Daily Times (Dunedin)

Education

St Peter's College, Auckland
Secondary school
Country: New Zealand
University of Auckland
Faculty of Law / Law
Degree: LLB
Year of Graduation: 1981
Country: New Zealand
Wrote for the student paper Craccum during studies
University of Canterbury
Journalism
Degree: Diploma of Journalism
Year of Graduation: 1989
Country: New Zealand
Completed Diploma of Journalism

Awards

Qantas Media Awards — Story of the Year
2010
Work: Feature on the David Bain retrial
Category: ジャーナリズム
Organization: Qantas Media Awards
Result: 受賞
Fairfax Media Journalist of the Year (2010–2011)
2011
Organization: Fairfax Media
Result: 受賞
Canon Media Awards — Senior Reporter of the Year
2012
Category: ジャーナリズム
Organization: Canon Media Awards
Result: 受賞
Canon Media Awards — Senior Newspaper Feature Writer of the Year
2012
Category: ジャーナリズム
Organization: Canon Media Awards
Result: 受賞
Wolfson Fellowship
2013
Organization: Wolfson Foundation / University of Cambridge
Result: 採択
Ngaio Marsh Award — Best Non-Fiction
2021
Work: Black Hands: Inside the Bain family murders
Category: ノンフィクション
Organization: Ngaio Marsh Awards
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Trapped: Remarkable Stories of Survival from the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake

2012 Non-fiction / reportage

Accounts of survival from the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, focusing on survivors' testimonies and themes of resilience and community.

disastersurvivalcommunity

Black Hands: Inside the Bain family murders

2020 Non-fiction / true crime journalism

An investigative account of the Bain family murders and the David Bain case. Originally released as a 10-episode podcast in 2017 before being published as a book in 2020; examines trials, testimonies and inconsistencies.

crimejusticeinvestigative journalism
Adaptations
  • [Podcast] Black Hands (podcast) / Martin van Beynen (2017)
  • [Book] Black Hands: Inside the Bain family murders (book) / Martin van Beynen (2020)

Bibliography

  • Trapped: Remarkable Stories of Survival from the 2011 Canterbury Earthquake (Penguin, 2012)
  • Black Hands (podcast, 2017)
  • Black Hands: Inside the Bain family murders (Penguin, 2020)

Adaptations

  • Black Hands (podcast → book)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
investigative, fact-driven reporting styledirect, column-like readable prose
Recurring Motifs
justice and the legal systemvictim and survivor testimonycommunity recovery

Health

  • lung cancer (stage IV)
    2024–present
    Diagnosed with inoperable stage-IV lung cancer in 2024; undergoing treatment and ongoing health impact affecting professional activities.

Legacy

Known as a prominent New Zealand investigative journalist and columnist. 'Black Hands' provoked public discussion and received recognition, including the Ngaio Marsh Award.

Archives

  • The Press archives (Christchurch)
  • National Library of New Zealand (possible holdings)

In Popular Culture

  • The 'Black Hands' podcast gained attention as a true-crime documentary and sparked debate

Quotes

  • As dawn broke over the ruined city, God decided to punish the urbanites one more time. He sent them Paul Henry and his Breakfast television team.
    Source: The Press (satirical column, 2010) (2010)

Trivia

  • Of Dutch extraction.
  • Played rugby at St Peter's College.
  • Served as a columnist for The Press for 17 years, stepping down in 2021.
  • Won the 2021 Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Non-Fiction for 'Black Hands'.
  • Diagnosed with stage-IV lung cancer in 2024.