Former New Zealand Herald journalist Jamie Morton has joined The Conversation New Zealand as Deputy Editor. Jamie comes to The Conversation with 20 years of experience in newsrooms, including 14 years at The New Zealand Herald, where he covered science, technology, climate change and the environment. During his time at the Herald, Jamie reported from disaster zones, global climate summits, national parks and Antarctica. He helped lead the newspaper’s coverage of major events such as the COVID pandemic, the Whakaari/White Island tragedy, the 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake, the 2011 MV Rena disaster and 2023’s Cyclone Gabrielle. Jamie’s journalism has been recognised with numerous awards and nominations, including being named science reporter of the year four times. Along with his reporting, Jamie has contributed to books and reporting desk guides on climate change and has helped judge national and international awards for science communication and climate journalism. After leaving the Herald in April 2025, Jamie produced policy briefs, special reports and science and climate-focused articles for NGOs, public agencies, corporate clients and universities. He also helped launch a new editorial partnership between the University of Auckland and Newsroom, exploring various sustainability issues. “At a time when misinformation and polarisation pose increasingly serious challenges,” says Jamie, “clear, evidence-based journalism and analysis couldn’t be more important.”Having Jamie join The Conversation New Zealand means we – and more importantly, you, our readers – will enjoy the benefits of his exceptional journalistic skills and experience. His strong background in news and current affairs, and his close contacts in the academic research world, are the perfect fit for The Conversation. Jamie began his role last week and can be contacted at jamie.morton@theconversation.com.