# Inside the Polkinghorne Case & the Mind of NZ's Greatest Writer - Steve Braunias

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/between-two-beers-podcast-792534/inside-the-polkinghorne-case-the-mind-of-nz-s-greatest-writer-steve-braunias
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/between-two-beers-podcast-792534/inside-the-polkinghorne-case-the-mind-of-nz-s-greatest-writer-steve-braunias.md
Podcast: [Between Two Beers Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/between-two-beers-podcast-792534)
Published: 2026-06-14T09:57:02+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/between-two-beers-podcast/episodes/6a2e6083af1761559d9cf271
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6775cb68499663105e17ae63/e/6a2e6083af1761559d9cf271/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/between-two-beers-podcast-792534/episodes/inside-the-polkinghorne-case-the-mind-of-nz-s-greatest-writer-steve-braunias
Duration seconds: 7199

## Resource

Steve Braunias sat through every day of the Polkinghorne trial - the society murder that gripped New Zealand - and wrote the bestselling book on it. He liked the accused. He chatted with him every morning. And he more than entertains the possibility that Phil Polkinghorne is an innocent man. In this episode, Steve takes us inside the eight weeks that felt like "a carnival": the forensic evidence that won and lost the case, the missing star witness Madison Ashton, the moment the prosecution's case fell apart, and why the national feeling that "he got away with it" collides with everything the facts say. But this is also the story of one of New Zealand's greatest living writers. The Motley Crüe interview that ended with him thrown against a wall. The letter that got him sacked from the Sunday magazine. Failing out of journalism school, learning to type by copying out Sylvia Plath, and 46 years of skewering phonies and squares - plus the surprisingly tender stuff: his late brother Mark, his daughter Minka, and why his dream is to one day stop writing altogether. Between Two Beers is proudly brought to you by One New Zealand. We believe that One NZ connects New Zealand, while Between Two Beers connects New Zealanders. And together, we are NZ's most trusted connection platform. Steve and Seamus are proud to be dressed by Barkers Clothing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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