Paper Jets

"Lawyers, judges, prosecutors and police have all said, 'This is not a process I would want a member of my family to go through." In an effort to resolve sexual assault cases more quickly, reduce the trauma for complainants and encourage more victims to come forward, two new specialist sexual violence courts are to be opened in New Zealand. The courts will deal exclusively with serious sexual offences such as "rape, sexual violation, incest, sexual grooming, indecent assault, possession of child pornography and intimate visual recordings made without consent", according to a government statement. Starting December this year, the two-year pilot will also see 20 judges up-skilled on how to best deal with the complexities of sexual abuse cases. Research tells us that lengthy proceedings may delay recovery. "Timeliness is clearly an issue," Chief District Court Judge Jan-Marie Doogue said. "Research tells us that lengthy proceedings may

Among the surfer chicks and the beach babes, the cow cockies and the horsey heads, a new breed of women is putting a fresh face on what it means to be Taranaki raised. They have researched, refined, colour-matched and Instagrammed their skills as far afield as New York. Now these young business women hailing from New Plymouth tell Michelle Robinson how they literally ‘made up’ their careers. SALLY JO HICKEY ~ Makeup and Lifestyle Vlogger, of New Plymouth (22) She may have been the quiet kid at school, but YouTube star Sally Jo Hickey is sure making up for that now. With more than 189,000 subscribers to her online beauty and lifestyle tips channel, she has one of New Zealand’s top rated YouTube channels. The communications graduate has proudly created a full-time job for herself – predominantly creating makeup tutorials. For the uninitiated, Sally Jo uploads two or more makeup or lifestyle videos a week, each with a differing theme. Her most popular clips are ‘how to’s’ on

ANNALEE MUGGERIDGE ~  Clinique Sales Adviser and Beauty Vlogger (25) Before we meet, I hope Annalee isn’t wearing makeup, while at the same time hoping that she is. Her transformation from fresh faced girl-next-door to Hollywood cover girl is something to behold. But to be honest, I’m a little intimidated by what I might find. Annalee answers the door dressed in a casual chic ensemble of black leggings, denim shirt and black choker. Her blonded hair is worn straight down and she’s wearing ... a beautiful full face of makeup. I’m grateful we’re starting our session with a makeover for me, my face is as bare as the day I was born and I might be intimidated if it wasn’t for Annalee’s friendly manner. I may be the journalist, but it’s Annalee who’s asking me a bunch of questions from the first application of makeup to post-interview tea and croissants around the kitchen table. She’s only been in the country two days when we meet and already she’s had two photoshoots and now an

It's been 12 years since I have heard the voice of anyone from my father's family. Now suddenly I have the cacophony of dozens of rolled 'r's and hearty, shrieking laughter in my ears. My cheeks are warm with pressed kisses, my limbs are wary from countless hugs and my soul is fulfilled with the love of a family I never knew I had missed. Four and a half decades on from when Dad left Cape Town's shores, I have returned without him, with the hope of meeting him. I was entering my awkward adolescent years when he left me behind in this world and his father, his brother, followed him out of my grasp. The freshest memories are of my oupa or Papa as I called him. It's his voice that lingers, his arms that last held me. I saw him, I heard him in my great-Aunty Alice as I embraced her tiny frame and in the sparkle in her eyes as she smiled at me. "I never thought I would meet you," she cried, clasping my hands in hers. I could tell this moment was as

Our image of South Africa is all too often skewed by the desperate actions of a few.  The portrait is overshadowed by darkness, her grand beauty all but forgotten. A wavering economy and outpouring of skilled migrants, South Africa has struggled to find its feet.  But if you know the right places to go, the rainbow nation can be a traveller's paradise as you make the most of the low rand*, friendly locals, and generous sights to behold, as Michelle Robinson discovered. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION A rhino crosses the road at Schotia Private Game Reserve. To me, South Africa has always been about the Cape.  The colourful history and exquisite beauty under the watchful eye of Table Mountain. My father's family reluctantly fled its shores to escape Apartheid, 45 years ago.  This year I took my Kiwi mother, husband, and 18-month-old to explore the places we had only heard about. Situated on the western side of the southern coast, Cape Town is hom

Current Mayor, Andrew Judd is about to step down from his one and only term, after recognising his support for a Maori ward was not a popular option for the New Plymouth District Council’s constituents. Describing himself as a “recovering racist” Judd’s inadequacies with New Zealand’s indigenous culture is something many Pakeha can identify with. But what about Maori people from a similar era? How are they coping with a society searching for the best way to achieve multi-cultural nirvana? New Live writer Michelle Robinson speaks with her father-in-law Steve Robinson about finding his identity as a modern day Maori in New Plymouth. He speaks about wanting to reconnect with his culture after finding success following the Pakeha way of life, and how he reckons both cultures need to be embraced in equal measure for society to move forward. From sleeping on the dirt floors of his family marae to owning several properties, New Plymouth man Steve Robinson is a man of two worlds.

Having spent months building cyclone-resistant homes in the Pacific has given Selah Homes’ managing director Mark Berryman an eye for the natural. Selah Homes’ Gold Award-winning House of the Year property was created with the natural environment and culture of beautiful Riverhead in Auckland’s northwest, in mind. “It was influenced by the black cedar from other homes in the area,” Berryman says. But that’s where any similarities end. The chocolate cedar with white trim creates a point of difference outside, while the copper accents create further interest inside this stunning three-bedroom, two-storey home. While the build was created with the woody surrounds of Riverhead in mind, Berryman says his work is also inspired by his time spent building houses in the Pacific. He recently spent two months in Samoa overseeing the build of 39 cyclone-proof fales, along with seven of his staff. “You’d think it would be different, building a fale with no walls. They don’t want walls bec

Beauty conscious blokes are flocking to salons, with the eye-watering male brazilian - the "brozilian" - one of the favoured treatments. A RIPPING YARN Once the domain of women, brow shaping, facials, tanning and manicures are attracting a growing stream of men. And bookings for "brozilians" have doubled at some facilities in the past two years. "It's the fastest growing service over any," Off Wax and Brow Bar owner Nicky Shore said. "There are connotations that men's waxing is a sexual thing but it's about hygiene and confidence. "A lot of guys are growing up getting teased about being hairy. They're more insecure than we think." Off Wax is one of the few facilities that strips male pubic hair, with around 100 bookings a month. Many beauty parlours stop at the buttocks. But those that offer the service are not limited to Auckland. Christchurch and Wellington beauticians are reporting similar trends. The complet

Having spent the first years of his life locked in a room so his mum could go to work to keep a roof over their heads, Ned So’e grew into a bitter young man. Otara born and bred, So’e spent his early years in poverty and drug-dealing, all the while there was a greater calling on his life. The LIFE Regional Pastor says his troubled past has equipped him with the tools to help others from troubled backgrounds. “It took me 30 years to get over it but now I can talk to young people for 30 minutes and say, ‘these are your keys to unlocking your healing’.” This Sunday, LIFE South opens the doors of its new state-of-the-art Manukau campus with the hope that it will bring life and fellowship to many, including those who may never have set foot in a church before. So’e admits it might seem like there’s a “saturation” of big-name churches in South Auckland and particularly Manukau, but there’s a need for all of them. “There are lost souls in my community who have never heard the

It's strange to be interviewing Jono Pryor and Ben Boyce. Several times Pryor turns it around so he's interviewing me. "Do you guys always meet people here for pizza? What are you guys doing after this? Is Stuff going behind a paywall?" Pryor peppers us with questions as he chauffeurs us up the mount in his legendary black 1970s Holden Kingswood. It's back to black, having recently been painted a vibrant pink in a Boyce-ordered prank. The presenters of late-night current affairs spoof Jono and Ben at Ten are facing the challenge of capturing two types of audience. They are branching out their TV show to include the hardcore fans of drivetime rock radio. Tall, thin, buzz-cut and jeans-clad, the comic presenters take the piss as they pose for photos. "Is it too late to pull out?" Boyce asks. "They caught me at a low point." The move to replace Pryor's deep-voiced, decade-long co-host Robert Taylor with Boyce has attracted a legio

Before you relinquish all your dreams of cracking the Auckland property market, may I suggest house sharing? I know you’re wrinkling your nose as you picture upturned toilet seats, negotiating the last of the milk and arguing over Wifi. But house sharing may be the ticket into a market you didn’t think you stood a chance in without a $160,000-plus deposit. Last month, popular short-term house sharing site Airbnb received its four millionth customer. In Auckland, as many as 40 percent of buyers are wanting to share their homes with their folks and another 30 to 40 percent are after a home and income situation. Tall Poppies real estate’s Hamish Anderson has even had requests from young married couples seeking “community living” “There are a few others who want to be living with their mates and to be able to buy in the Auckland property market,” he says. His most popular listed home is this six bedroom, three bathroom home boasting a 4000 square metre section in Henderson.