Craccum is a student magazine of the University of Auckland, owned and operated by the Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) in New Zealand. It was founded in 1927 and the name originated from the scrambled acronym of "Auckland University College Men's Common Room Committee".Sinclair, Keith. A History of the University of Auckland, Auckland University Press, 1983. Craccum is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).

Overview The magazine has at times been controversial, with stories on how to shoplift, the drawbacks of various methods of committing suicide,Case Number: 786 HEALTH WAIKATO AGAINST CRACCUM , New Zealand Press Council, June 2000.Suicide Is Painless? – The Craccum Articles, scoop.co.nz, 7 March 2000. drug use guides, recipes for illegal drugs and drug rape guides. Craccum is also a popular proving ground for New Zealand mainstream media, with many of its alumni moving on to publications such as The Listener, The New Zealand Herald, The National Business Review and Metro magazine.

In 1989 the publication was re-branded "Torso" (a reference to it being the magazine of the student body) for the final issues of that year, an event noted in the mainstream media. However, the original name was re-established the following year.

In 2005, the rights to the front cover of the sellout-themed issue of Craccum were auctioned on TradeMe. Salient, the student magazine for Victoria University of Wellington, won the auction. In 2011 the rights to the front cover of the women's rights-themed issue were again auctioned on TradeMe, with proceeds going to Women's Refuge; the auction was won by the Tertiary Education Union (TEU).

Awards and recognition In 2007, Craccum won the award for Best Publication at the ASPA Awards for the first time. It was awarded runner-up for Best Small Publication in 2016 and runner-up for Best Publication in 2017. In 2022, Craccum won the award for Best Publication at the ASPA Awards for the second time.

Editors

The Craccum Editor was an elected position between 1986 and 2019. The elections were held in the second semester, on the same ballot as the AUSA portfolio elections. Before 1986, the Editor was appointed each year by the Craccum Administration Board. Since 2019 the Craccum Administration Board has also been responsible for appointing Editors, following the introduction of a new AUSA constitution.

Former Craccum Editor Tim Shadbolt (1972) became Mayor of Waitemata City and later Mayor of Invercargill. Mike Rann (1975) was Premier of South Australia 2002 to 2012.

Past Editors

2025 – Harry Sutton 2024 – Kieran Panui 2023 – Mairātea Mohi and George Brooker 2022 – Flora Xie and Naomii Seah 2021 – Eda Tang and Brian Gu 2020 – Cameron Leakey and Daniel Meech 2019 – Bailley Verry 2018 – Jasmin Singh and Helen Yeung (Feb to July), Caitlin Abley, Mark Fullerton and Samantha Gianotti (July to August), Andrew Winstanley (August to October) 2017 – Samantha Gianotti and Catriona Britton 2016 – Mark Fullerton and Caitlin Abley 2015 – Matthew Denton and Jordan Margetts 2014 – Ana Lenard and Kit Haines 2013 – Aditya Vasudevan and Calum Redpath 2012 – Thomas Dykes 2011 – Spencer Dowson and Rhys Mathewson 2010 – Dan Sloan 2009 – Matthew Harnett and Valentine Watkins 2008 – Dan Sloan 2007 – Simon Coverdale and Matthew Backhouse 2006 – Ryan Sproull 2005 – Alec Hutchinson and Stian Overdahl 2004 – Allan Swann and Hannah Jennings-Voykovich 2003 – Christopher Garland 2002 – Colin Mitchell and Susan Edmunds 2001 – John Marshall 2000 – Ben Thomas and James Cardno 1999 – Gareth Elliot and Thomas Shadbolt 1998 – Alistair Bone 1997 – Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury 1996 – Tim Mullins and Anton Pichler 1995 – Martyn 'Bomber' Bradbury and Stewart Gardiner 1994 – Penny Murray 1993 – Peter Malcouronne and Vangelis Vitalis 1992 – Jo Mackay 1991 – Jo Mackay 1990 – Steve Amanono and Sarah Murray (Jan–May); Peter Gray, Mark Roach, Simon Holroyd (Interim); Mark Roach, Wendy Newton, Peter Gray (Jun–Dec) 1989 – Aidan-B. Howard (Jan–May); Michael Lamb (May–Dec) 1988 – Miriam de Graaf, Carl Fagan, Simon Holroyd and Wendy Lawson (Jan–Mar); Miriam de Graaf, Carl Fagan, Simon Holroyd (Mar–Jun); Miriam de Graaf, Simon Holroyd (Jun–Dec) 1987 – Rachael Callender, Derek Craig, Kerry Hoole, Ewen Smith, Patrick Stodart, Victoria Turner and David Ward 1986 – Peter Boys 1985 – Pam Goode and Brigitta Noble 1984 – Neil Morrison and Rangi Chadwick 1983 – Louise Rafkin 1982 – David Faulls 1981 – David Kirkpatrick 1980 – Katherine White 1979 – David Merritt 1978 – Louise Chunn 1977 – Francis Stark 1976 – Allan Bell 1975 – Mike Rann 1974 – Brent Lewis 1973 – Stephen Ballantyne, Bob Kerr, and Bob Hillier (from January to July) 1972 – Heather McInnes, Tim Shadbolt and Gordon Clifton 1971 – Stephen Chan, Robert Wellington 1970 – Ted Sheehan 1969 – Mac Price 1968 – George de Bres 1967 – Geoff Chapple (Mar–Jun); George De Bres and Michael Volkering (Jun–Dec) 1966 – Lei Lealulu and Dave Fleming (Jan–Jun); Mike Morrissey (Jun–Dec) 1965 – C. A. Moir 1964 – John Sanders 1963 – Dick Johnstone 1962 – Francis J. Lillie 1961 – Adrienne Rhodes 1960 – Felicity Maidment 1959 – Jonathan Hunt 1958 – S. E. Cox and D. R. Taylor 1957 – R. W. Armstrong 1956 – D. J. Stone and R. W. Armstrong 1955 – Jim Traue and David Stone 1953 – Brian Smart and Peter Boag 1952 – Gerald Utting (Jan–Aug); John Anderson and Geoff Fuller (Aug–Dec) 1951 – NO RECORD 1950 – Peter Timm, David Grace and Roderick Smith (Jan–Mar); Gerald Utting and M. Lovegrove (Mar–Dec) 1949 – Peter Cape 1948 – John Ellis (Jan–Sept); Peter Cape (Sept–Dec) 1947 – Nora Bayly 1946 – J. A. Nathan 1945 – R. I. F. Pattison 1944 – Travis Wilson 1943 – Betty Belshaw (née Sweetman) 1942 – NO RECORD 1941 – G. I. Cawkwell 1940 – P. W. Day 1939 – P. W. Day (Jan–Mar); Avenal Holcombe (Mar–Dec) 1938 – A. O. Woodhouse 1937 – Eric H. Halstear 1933–1936 – NO RECORD 1932 – J. A. E. MulganIn 1973… , By crac_it, 10 March 2013, Craccum, Philip Soljak 1931 – Eric Harold Blow 1930 – P. L. Soljak (Jan–Jun); J. A. E. Mulgan (Jun–Aug) 1928–1929 – NO RECORD 1927 A. K. Matthews, Nigel Wilson and Winifred McNickle

References

External links Official website Instagram