A 12-part documentary podcast about the notorious free‑love commune, Centrepoint.
There are crimes. But this isn’t a whodunnit. It’s a whydunnit.

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Listen to The Commune on your favourite podcast app or by selecting an episode below

episode 01 Open Day

A free-love commune called Centrepoint springs up in the suburbs of 1970s New Zealand, devoted in equal measure to sex, group therapy, and its guru Bert Potter. What could possibly go wrong?

READ TRANSCRIPT
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https://interactives.stuff.co.nz/2022/06/the-commune-sex-drugs-and-a-guru-called-bert/
Sex, drugs and a guru called Bert In the tangled history of Centrepoint, former residents have stories that are startling – but not always in the way you’d expect. Read More
The insider As a founding member of Centrepoint who eventually realised her community was rotten, leaving was hard – but for Barri Leslie finding redemption was even harder. Read More
The one who got away When “Robert” encountered Centrepoint, he was all in. But after uncovering a dark secret, he faced a terrible decision – should he stay or should he go? Read More
Secrets, lies – and a mysterious cup of tea Sex crimes against children at Centrepoint were almost an open secret – but it took decades for justice to be served. Why couldn’t they be stopped sooner? Read More
Let the children play When a man turned up at Centrepoint and started entertaining the children, everyone seemed happy. But what he was really up to is only now being revealed. Read More
The hardest word When child survivors of the sexual abuse called for an apology from the commune’s adults, what happened? It’s complicated. Read More

About the producers
Adam Dudding was co-host and co-producer of the multi-award-winning true-crime podcast Gone Fishing, and creator of the mental health podcast Out Of My Mind. He and Eugene Bingham also produced and hosted the current affairs podcasts Coronavirus NZ and Tick.Tick. As a reporter for the Sunday Star-Times Adam won numerous feature-writing awards, and his memoir My Father’s Island won ‘Best First Book’ at the 2017 Ockham Awards.
Eugene Bingham has reported and produced news and current affairs across newspapers, television, digital and podcast platforms, winning multiple awards as an investigative journalist. His work includes investigative documentaries The Valley, Infinite Evil and Life + Limb, producing and co-hosting a podcast on the Crewe murders, The District, and co-hosting the Coronavirus NZ and Tick.Tick podcasts. He also co-hosts trail running podcast Dirt Church Radio.
Written, reported, produced and edited by Written, reported, produced and edited by Adam Dudding and Eugene Bingham
mixing mixing Andrew McDowall, Digicake
Music Music Audionetwork
Script editing Script editing Michael Wright
Illustrator Illustrator Phil Johnson
Layout and development Layout and development Sungmi Kim
Project editor Project editor John Hartevelt
Legals Legals Genevieve O’Halloran, Courtney Grenfell
Librarian Librarian Lesley Longstaff
Administrative assistance Administrative assistance Sky Austin-Martin
Voice actors Voice actors Catriona, Suzanne, Noah, Kieran, Ruth, Graham, Louis, Zoann, Michael, David, Alex, and Jack
Stuff commissioning editors Stuff commissioning editors Carol Hirschfeld, Patrick Crewdson, Mark Stevens
Sandra Coney’s “Listener” article on AMAC was the basis for the introduction to Episode 6. The Geoff Steven documentary “Centrepoint, A Spiritual Growth Community”, mentioned in Episode 2, is available for viewing at nzonscreen.com. Special thanks everyone who agreed to talk to us about Centrepoint – named and unnamed. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou.
Where to get help

The Commune contains discussion of sexual assault, childhood trauma and suicide. If you need help, or someone to talk to, one of these services might be helpful.

1737, Need to talk? - Free call or text 1737 to talk to a trained counsellor

Youthline - 0800 376 633, free text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz, or find online chat and other support options here

Anxiety New Zealand - 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)

Depression.org.nz - 0800 111 757 or text 4202

Lifeline - 0800 543 354

Mental Health Foundation - 09 623 4812 or click here

Rural Support Trust - 0800 787 254

Samaritans - 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

thelowdown.co.nz - Web chat, email chat or free text 5626

What's Up - 0800 942 8787 (for 5–18 year olds). Phone counselling available Monday-Friday, noon–11pm and weekends, 3pm–11pm. Online chat is available 3pm–10pm daily.

In an emergency, click here for numbers of a local crisis assessment team.

In a life-threatening situation, call 111.

Good podcasts take time – and money.

Senior Stuff journalists Eugene Bingham and Adam Dudding invested many months over a span of several years to research, record and edit The Commune, and were supported along the way by a constellation of Stuff colleagues who contributed library research, editorial advice, legal vetting, art work and digital design.

By making a contribution to Stuff, you can help support the production of deeply researched, investigative podcasts like The Commune in the future.

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