About Us

Crux is owned by Crux Publishing Ltd.

We are a growing team based in Queenstown, Wānaka and Cromwell. Our site reaches up to 10,000 readers every day and is the leading source of online news in the district.

A key part of our mission is to contribute to the development of community public interest journalism, as well as finding innovative solutions to community 

Managing Editor - Peter Newport

Peter worked for the Otago Daily Times, Radio New Zealand and TVNZ before working in Australia for Channels 9 and 10. He then went on to be the European Correspondent and Bureau Chief for Channel 9 in London before joining ITV News as their Far East Producer in Hong Kong. Peter then worked for BBC TV News in London as their Deputy News Editor before becoming a documentary producer with the Discovery Channel.  Peter returned to work in NZ with Mediaworks as a producer on their current affairs programme 3rd Degree before moving to Queenstown as RNZ's Otago Southland reporter. Email Peter.

What is Crux?
Crux is a community-funded website that delivers action and issues-focussed public interest journalism to the Southern Lakes region.

What does the Crux brand mean?
We selected and trademarked the Crux brand name because it represents getting to the heart of the matter and also is the name of the Southern Cross constellation.

Why is it important now?
We need some form of quality journalism to document, explain and act on the complex issues that face our region. Journalism has been funded by advertising in the past but, thanks to Google and Facebook, that model is terminally broken. We are at a crunch point in our community’s development - low wages, expensive housing, explosive growth and many people leaving because they cannot afford to stay here. Good quality community journalism can help fix these critical issues. 

What are we committed to?
Quality journalism. Pure and simple. Balanced, fair and accurate. And, if necessary, long! Our community can’t be distilled into click-bait or an external template. We will listen, question, research, compare and explain. If a story takes weeks or months - then that’s what we will commit to. We’ll welcome comments and act on them. We are politically neutral - but committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of society. We’ll be courageous and respectful.