The Commune Stuff

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?

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Locals are fascinated by the sights and sounds of the sex commune next door. Founding members recall the optimism and excitement of Centrepoint’s early years – and the bizarre circumstances that led to the community’s first death.

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Who the hell was Bert? How Centrepoint’s leader went from buttoned-up businessman to morally transgressive guru. Meanwhile Barri and “Robert” are each witness to moments that reveal the darkness lurking inside the Centrepoint dream.

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Barri and “Robert” are haunted by the ugly truth about their commune, but they respond differently. Plus: a quick history of communes in Aotearoa, and the complex social forces that made Centrepoint possible.

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The ever-expanding Centrepoint commune goes to war: with its fed-up neighbours, with the local council and, thanks to Robert’s decision to speak out, the New Zealand Police.

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It’s the 1980s, and Centrepoint’s on a roll. Bert is investing in the booming stock market; and the head-count keeps rising. But some of the new arrivals at the commune have wild stories to tell.

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