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.