After Craig Hoyle was excommunicated from the Exclusive Brethren, he was lost as he had been taught not to challenge authority nor ask any questions.
“We were told if you don’t understand it, don’t question it,” said Hoyle who went on to graduate from university and become a journalist. He was helped by 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Hall of Tamahere who became his parent figure outside of the church.
Craig Hoyle
“I couldn’t have come further from the brethren,” the chief news director for Stuff’s Sunday Star Times told The News.
Hoyle, 34, describes journalism as a really rewarding profession; one that makes a difference every day.
His newsroom, like many around the country, has the threat of redundancies and cost savings hanging over it.
But without journalists, mistreatment and corruption would flourish in the darkness, said Hoyle.
“You need people challenging the official narrative.
“Anyone can challenge people in power, but you need people with training and the skills to ask the right questions and when people in power are not exactly being truthful, you need people who have the ability to go through all those documents and have the ability to question decisions and then explain to people why things maybe aren’t what they seem to be.”
Hoyle, who was born in Hamilton and spent most of his holidays in Waipā after the family moved to Invercargill, contacted The News following the publication of his book Excommunicated.
Four generations of his family lived and worked in Cambridge and many are buried in Hautapu Cemetery.
Craig Hoyle at Hautapu Cemetery where so many of his relatives are buried. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
