Former SPASIFIK reporter, VAIMOANA TAPALEAO, who is now the South Auckland reporter for the New Zealand Herald has been rewarded for her excellence, writes SPASIFIK intern DOMINIKA WHITE.
Vaimoana Tapaleao was awarded the two diversity journalism prizes at the annual AUT University communications awards last night for her stories on Maori and Pacific issues last year – less than a fortnight after getting her first newspaper job.
“I was kind of shocked. I was on a buzz the Friday before because I had just been given a job at the New Zealand Herald,” said the new reporter, graduating with a Bachelor of Communication Studies.
Tapaleao, also known as Moana, attributes her new role at the Herald to the work she did for Mana and SPASIFIK magazines last year.
“There isn’t much diversity reporting in mainstream New Zealand today – especially when it comes to Maori and Pacific, so whenever I could, I would write a story with that in mind.”
Presenting the Maori Television Prize ($300 worth of merchandise) and the Storyboard Award, Native Affairs presenter Julian Wilcox spoke about the advances in media diversity in recent years, especially with Maori Television.
Associate Professor David Robie, the School of Communication Studies’ diversity domain leader, said the award was well deserved.
“Moana was tremendously dedicated throughout the year and she uncovered some really in-depth stories, particularly her coverage of fire safety issues on marae, and medical and social issues such as cervical screening tests for Pasifika women.”
Tapaleao will continue to advocate for Pacific and Maori issues at the New Zealand Herald. She hopes that being a South Auckland reporter will change the constant negative stories coming from the Pacific-dominated area.
Some of the other topics Tapaleao covered during the year were an expansion in Samoan soccer, a Polyfest story focusing on Kelston Girls’ College, a missionary’s journey to Nauru and a surveillance story.
The Storyboard Award is an East Sepik carving from Papua New Guinea, donated last year by Dr Robie who used to head the University of Papua New Guinea journalism programme.
Qiane Corfield, of Mana magazine, was the previous recipient of this diversity award. – Pacific Media Watch.
• The writer Dominika White is a final year Bachelor of Communication Studies student journalist at AUT, and is currently an intern at SPASIFIK
