From the age of twelve, Ali Mau wanted to be a journalist like her father. He was a beer-swilling, straight-talking Aussie who was rough around the edges but could quote passages of Hamlet at will. He taught Ali everything - from how to skin a rabbit and throw a punch to how to craft a sharp sentence - and she craved his validation as she navigated the sexist badlands of Australian print and television journalism through the 1980s and '90s.
From Melbourne to London and Auckland, Ali built a glittering career and became a media darling - until an unexpected call from her sister brought her professional and personal lives crashing together with devastating force. As an investigative reporter bringing New Zealand's #MeToo stories to light, she had to survey the wreckage of her family myth and ask herself, 'Am I strong enough?' and 'Are there words for this?'
Join us for an evening with Ali where she will discuss No Words for This; her inspiring, honest and intimate memoir about family, love and rising from the ashes. In conversation with Michelle Duff.
Presented in partnership with HarperCollins NZ.
General Admission: $30
Concession: $25
Verb Community members: $21 (check your ReVerb e-newsletter for the discount code, or email community@verbwellington.nz)
About the author
Alison (Ali) Mau is an award-winning journalist and writer and a thought-leader for inclusion and equity in Aotearoa/New Zealand. In a 20-year career as a news and current affairs anchor, Ali became one of the country's most recognised faces as host of Breakfast,One News, Seven Sharp and Fair Go. A long-time advocate for women's rights in Aotearoa, in 2018 Alison created the #MeTooNZ journalism project at Stuff, publishing many major investigations over five years, and changing the way sexual harassment is reported by media, using a trauma-informed and survivor-focused kaupapa. In 2021, Alison was awarded Reporter of the Year for her leadership of the project, with judges at the Voyager Awards commending her 'fearless, determined pursuits that deserve the highest commendation'. In 2023, Ali became the co-founder of Tika, a tech-based charity created to bring free legal help to survivors of sexual harm.