Kelly Makiha
Multimedia Journalist
Kelly Makiha, a Multimedia Journalist at the Rotorua Daily Post, specialises in court and police reporting.
I started work as a Multimedia Journalist at the Rotorua Daily Post as an 18 year-old in 1996 and I am still here, loving every single day. I wanted to be a journalist since I was a child and remember making my mum follow the flashing lights of emergency services so I could see what was happening. I started writing for my local newspaper in Timaru when I was a young teen and knew then that this was the job for me. I made the move to the Rotorua Daily Post and it was meant to be a stepping stone but I fell in love with this city, got married and we are now raising our three children here. I have covered all rounds but specialise in court and police reporting and have been chief reporter or assistant editor for most of my career. I am now back doing what I love – writing stories that matter, holding people and organisations to account, celebrating heroes, paying tribute to amazing lost loved ones and using my role to highlight issues to make a difference. Each day I’m honoured to be surrounded by a group of professionals who work hard and believe in what we do.
Check out Kelly’s latest content
Man appears in court over hunter's death
Sean Kavanagh appeared in the Rotorua District Court today.
It's back: Memorial sculpture for Harawene unveiled
Harawene statue 2.0: Memorial to much-loved Rotorua stray dog reinstated.
Replacement statue of Rotorua's icon dog to be revealed
A sculpture dedicated to beloved Rotorua dog Harawene is to be unveiled this week.
Farmhand impales two cows after botching common farming practice
He was trying to get them back on their feet. Instead, they had to be put down.
'Malnourished and emaciated': Farmer found guilty in animal cruelty case
A jury has reached verdicts relating to an animal cruelty case.
Animal cruelty trial: 'Belligerent' farmer did the best he could, defence says
Crown says he "sat on his hands" and left animals "emaciated and at the point of death".
'Dramatic' collision: Driver sentenced after farmer killed
Tamihana Curtis says he blacked out. A judge rejected the claim.
'Emaciated and at the point of death': Crown opens case in animal cruelty trial
Farmer Warren Koberstein is on trial facing animal cruelty charges.
Rotorua business stalwart's gruelling achievement after diagnosis
Former legendary Rotorua butcher Ross Dittmer has just overcome a massive hurdle.
Farmer's mystery: Neighbour concocts device to illegally take $9000 of water
He built a device to take his neighbour's water supply.
McClay: Work starts now to restore Rotorua's reputation
Rotorua MP Todd McClay says he will work hard to get back the Rotorua that once was.
Kirkpatrick says local roots crucial in win over Coffey
East Coast electorate reverts back to blue with Dana Kirkpatrick's election win.
Flooding, road closures and rescues: Thunderstorms lash Rotorua
'Quite a bit of water in a short period of time.'
Attention truck drivers: Stop using our street as a short cut
Tarewa Rd residents are sick of their houses shaking when heavy trucks take short cuts.
Dramatic ute theft: 'I'm lucky he didn't run my legs over'
An offender who stole a ute in broad daylight, and the vehicle are both still missing.
Lake Rotorua wastewater spill: Health warning stays for now
The latest on the Lake Rotorua wastewater spill has been released.
Lake Rotorua pollution: Brown water 'sprayed like a fountain' in wastewater spill
Mystery surrounds bacteria levels in Lake Rotorua have not reduced as expected.
'Little remorse': Judge says council tried to minimise dump offending
Rotorua District Council is before the court for discharging leachate from the landfill.
Council pleads guilty to discharging harmful substance
The district council pleaded guilty and faces a maximum fine of $600,000.
Hero wedding guests save men from crashed and sinking boat
Rotorua man Jason McMillan recounts how he and two others rescued men from a crashed boat.
Farm bike crash survivor applauds National's pledge to bring back rescue helicopter
Why John Bellerby says National's rescue helicopter pledge has won his vote.
Electric shock leaves worker with long-term injuries
A company has been fined after a mishap left a worker with long-term injuries.
New rules: How will alert level 3 impact hunters?
Tauranga hunters are being urged to be patient.
'Imagine how big the deer and pigs are going to be': Howie Morrison Junior
Rotorua hunters are being urged to be patient.
Guns seized: Police catch early morning hunters breaching lockdown
Incidents revealed as one iwi bans hunting and camping - even at alert level 3.
Red Stag Timber: Secret to 80 years of success
Red Stag Timber, formerly Waipā Sawmill, has survived 80 years and is still going strong.
Why an iconic Rotorua retail store is closing
Bryan and Lya French have no regrets about their time owning Outdoorsman Headquarters.
Why bar locals are sad about an $80m hotel development
They drink at the bar every day but find out why their days are numbered
Fishing season opens: Where are the best trout?
Rotorua's lakes are full of happy anglers catching fat trout.
Rotorua drive-through medical clinic to open by November
A new drive-through health clinic in Rotorua will be open until midnight.
Farm bikes hot property for thieves
Thieves are targeting farm bikes in the Bay of Plenty.
Kaituna River: 'Louise wouldn't want it closed'
The father of a kayaker killed on the Kaituna River is fighting to keep the river open.
River lovers say Kaituna River should stay open
The regional harbourmaster plans to close part of the Kaituna River for safety reasons.
Rotorua man dies in motorcycle crash with tractor
The death has prompted calls for a straight piece of road to be monitored.
Former noisy Lumbercube site being dismantled after sale
Lumbercube site has been sold to a local firm and the mill equipment is being removed.
'Got the heart rate going': Swimmer makes way back to beach after shark sighting
A Rotorua man tells of having to swim past sharks to reach the shore.
Rotorua floods: Residents react to independent flood review report
Locals have varying opinions on what the review panel's report on the floods means.
Damning report on Rotorua floods: 'Could have reduced known flood risk'
An independent review panel into the April floods has released its report.
Housing planned for farmland bordering Rotorua
A zone change of Pukehangi land is needed to speed up development, the council says.
Lake is a 'taonga not a toilet', iwi group says
Te Arawa Lakes Trust has announced it will not support the council's wastewater plan.
Bouma killing: 20 years of twists and turns
It's 20 years since Beverly Bouma was murdered in Reporoa in a chilling home invasion.
Man charged with Ngakuru murder linked to truck crash
Police say a truck crash is linked to the homicide investigation at Ngakuru.
Ngakuru homicide victim 'loved her animals'
A man is charged with murder following an incident in Ngakuru, south of Rotorua today.
'I'm too scared to live here', says man after tree falls on his house
A Rotorua man says he's too scared to live in his house after a rotten tree fell on it.
I'm sorry, burglar tells court - hours before he's back stealing again
Raniera Kiriwera has been sentenced after being caught on CCTV breaking into a home stay.
Ohinemutu residents clean up village rubbish
Ohinemutu residents have done their bit to clean up rubbish.
Firm pleads guilty after worker loses parts of fingers
Glove containing the amputated parts of his fingers were found a day later.
Rotorua flood: 'Everyday we find new bits of damage'
Frustrated residents are being assured by the council they will get help.
Teen fined over trout-hatchery poaching
A teen trout poacher has been fined $700 for stealing fish from the trout hatchery.
Family unhappy with death inquiry
A Rotorua woman faces a second Christmas still not knowing how the love of her life died.
Forestry and regional focus welcomed
Rotorua has put up its hand to be the home of a new New Zealand Forestry Service.
Police Notebook: 4WD vehicles eyed by thieves
Police warn about stolen 4WD vehicles and bikes as well as celebrate a good catch.
Men admit taking wood from DoC reserves
Four men who took wood from reserves have been sentenced in the Rotorua District Court.
Cost of new Korean mud festival agreement not yet known
The Rotorua Lakes Council responds to questions about the $90,000 spent on Korean mud.
That's rubbish! Says resident to dumpers
Dumped rubbish is getting on the wick of a local resident.
Farm subdivision opens up 89 sections
Nearly 90 high-end residential and lifestyle sections are to go on the market next year.
Hunting comp honours Sir Howard
Whenever Sir Howard Morrison wasn't off singing around the world, he'd be out hunting and fishing with his family. So he'd be pretty