Whisking your loved one to one of these romantic retreats will impress.

Moorea in Tahiti has the amour of France without the long flight to Paris. Photo / Thinkstock

Valentine’s Day is upon us and although some have no time for its commercialism, romantics have been planning something sublime. If you’re in the latter team, ignore the curmudgeons and go for the wow factor. This list of hot destinations may need more planning (read “saving up for”) but even if it takes you until next year, whisking your loved one to one of these romantic retreats will impress.

Club Med Mauritius

Dispel those Hi-De-Hi images of cringe-inducing group events and bland buffet food. Club Med has just rolled out its five-trident (star) villas in Mauritius. Your private love nest has, with its own infinity pool, two to four bedrooms with en suites, indoor and outdoor showers and a butler.

Order in from room service or visit the main resort’s bars, restaurants and beachfront water sports.

Eco Beach, Broome

This resort is hot after just taking a bow in the West Australian Tourism awards. A stone’s throw from the red desert sands of Broome, it’s won accolades for Unique Accommodation, the Qantas Award for Sustainability, Eco-tourism and a supreme honour for 2011, the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism. Eco beach is in vogue.

Book a luxurious eco villa among the dunes, with sunset views over the Indian Ocean. You’ll have solar power and bamboo floors with a kitchen, living room, king-size bedroom and private deck. Or go feral (in an upmarket way) and stay in a semi-permanent tent with a king-size bed and en suite.

Activities in this remote part of Australia include whale-watching tours, fishing, or try a quirky mud and bubbles treatment a sand and estuary-mud exfoliation and body mask, washed off in seawater and accompanied by champagne.

Desert Nights, Oman

It may be a bit far to go this year, but keep this romantic hot-spot up your sleeve because a one-hour flight from Abu Dhabi or Dubai lands you in amazing Muscat. Oman has a more traditional Middle Eastern feel than its glitzy Arabian sisters, yet is very progressive and easy to get around. Look around the ancient capital, shop at the souk, then travel two hours south by road to the Wahiba Sands Desert.

Desert Nights Camp is a Bedouin-style luxury tent resort between two stunningly golden sand dunes where camels run past as they train for racing.

Each private tent has a lounge, bedroom and bathroom around a centre pole reminiscent of a circus tent. On your veranda are colourful woven beanbags to laze in when you’re not on top of the sand dune gazing at the amazing sunset.

Legends Resort, Moorea

If you’re looking for the amour of France without the long flight to Paris to romance your true love, this spot is perfect. A half-hour ferry ride from Papeete you arrive at Moorea. Legends of Moorea is a villa resort spread down a hillside overlooking the coral reefs, where the sparkling ocean encompasses so many shades of blue you’ll remember it forever.

You have your own outdoor dining area enclosed in floaty curtains, and your own cool-water Jacuzzi.

A self-contained kitchen means you and your lover need never leave the nest – except to shop at the nearby supermarche for supplies or to pick up a heat-in-your-room dinner from the resort restaurant.

During the day, drive around the island’s 60km circumference and stop at white sand beaches, play golf on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, or shop at handicraft and fruit stalls. For a permanent token of your love, get an authentic Tahitian tattoo from local artist James Samuela.

Royal Livingstone, Zambia

The ultimate destination for luxury with African charm, this colonial-style hotel stands beside the mighty Zambezi River only a kilometre from Victoria Falls.

Expect monkeys to play in the gardens (and in your room if you leave your door ajar), zebra to graze on the lawn by the pool at dusk and giraffe to lope silently among the trees next door.

By day, explore the falls and browse the many stalls at the entrance. Book an afternoon massage in a tent on the river’s edge. Nearby are community projects that include a school, a hospital, and a market garden run by the blind and an orphanage. These are rewarding to visit.

At dusk over drinks in the Sundeck bar watch the sun slip over the horizon, dine under the trees, then relax with a nightcap in the resort bar before retreating to your boudoir.

Yas Viceroy Hotel, Abu Dhabi

If your Valentine is a petrolhead, you won’t get hotter than booking a room with the jet-setters at the Yas Viceroy on Abu Dhabi’s newly-created Yas Island.

This futuristic hotel, with its LED-lit roof is built over the Yas Marina circuit where the Formula 1 legends roar. Every room has a view of the excitement. Inside are 12 restaurants and lounges featuring Mediterranean fare, homemade Italian, South-East Asian, regional Indian and Japanese cuisines. This is the place to be seen if you’re anyone worth seeing and international DJs feature in the lounges for those wanting to party.

Next door is the new Ferrari theme park so take him for the ultimate thrill on Ferrari’s rollercoasters.

By Megan Singleton

A tropical family holiday with an autistic child can be successful if you plan ahead, writes Laurilee McMichael.

Seaside activities helped keep nine-year-old Hamish, who has Asperger’s syndrome, busy on Fiji’s Plantation Island. Photo / Laurilee McMichael

The minute the cat went into the box, the cat was out of the bag.

“Why is Skittles in the box?” asked 9-year-old Hamish, eyeing the box suspiciously.

“She’s going to the cattery,” I answered, hastily stowing the box and its yowling contents in the car.

“Why’s she going to the cattery?” he asked, even more suspiciously.

“Because …” I answered, taking a deep breath and steeling myself.

“Because … tomorrow we’re going to Fiji.”

“Arrrrrgh! I don’t want to go to Fiji! Arrrrgh!”

And this, with variations, and even a few tears, was what I got for the rest of the day. Reasoning was futile.

“I hate Fiji. Fiji’s stupid. Arrrgh …” And so on, for hours on end.

Hamish, who has Asperger’s syndrome and severe ADHD, hates the idea of change and new things. Even thinking about going somewhere different makes him anxious. So much so that my husband Jarrod and I kept the Fiji trip quiet for two months to avoid him becoming stressed about it.

We also crossed our fingers and hoped that once there, he’d love it.

With Hamish in mind, we’d carefully planned ahead, because one of the really fun things about Asperger’s and autism is that anything unexpected or negative can trigger a screaming meltdown of mammoth proportions, usually guaranteed to attract a crowd of tut-tutting onlookers.

We’d opted for a holiday at family-friendly Plantation Island resort in the Mamanuca Group, offshore from Nadi. The main advantage of Plantation Island for us was familiarity – we’d made a family trip there when Hamish was very young – and we thought it would work for us.

We knew there were comfortable bures, three pools, a kids’ club, lots of activities and a hydroslide (ranked most important by our three energetic children). It is only an hour’s boat ride from Denarau Island and, from a budget point of view, it was also attractive. Shopping at the on-site mini market meant we could self-cater our breakfasts and lunches – an important consideration when feeding five people.

The next morning Hamish, having accepted that the trip was inevitable, bounced out of bed at 6am and was raring to go.

At Auckland airport, our carefully laid meltdown-avoiding plans almost came unstuck when we couldn’t find a toilet without a hand dryer for our hypersensitive boy who can’t bear loud noises. Things were threatening to move into meltdown territory when finally a kindly cleaner let him into the parenting room’s toilet, which featured paper towels. Phew.

The plane trip was fine, thanks to the kids’ entertainment selection, but when we emerged from Nadi airport, our promised transfer to the Novotel was nowhere in sight.

Hamish rapidly became extremely anxious – “Where’s our bus? How will we get to our hotel? Will we have to stay in the airport all night?” – while his father and I affected airs of casual nonchalance, assuring him that the bus would arrive any minute (it took 45) while hissing under our breath to each other about “bloody Fiji time”.

The next day, after more encounters with Fiji time, we arrived at Plantation Island and, despite rain, the kids were in the pool immediately, where they stayed for the rest of the day.

Hamish was remarkably relaxed, although his Asperger’s made an unwelcome appearance at the kids’ buffet meal that evening. With the staff looking on in stunned silence, he protested loudly, and at length, about the perfectly reasonable selection – ham, roast potatoes, roast chicken, peas, corn and salad – on offer.

His three-year-old brother thought this was a great game and joined in.

“This tea is stupid! I don’t like this tea. Arrrgh …” Lesson learned.

Every night thereafter we dined outside at Ananda’s, the resort’s beachside restaurant, which had a children’s menu and a small play area on the adjacent sand. There, Hamish could choose between fish and chips, spaghetti bolognaise and other standard kid-friendly fare and, because he felt he had control over what he was eating, he was able to cope.

We were also pleasantly surprised by his reaction to the kids’ club. Although we got the predictable, “Arrgh! I don’t want to go to kids’ club!”, he was very taken with the indoor bouncy castle and play area.

In the end, he spent two hours each morning at kids’ club quite happily, bouncing a ball and chattering incessantly and probably incomprehensibly about his obsessions (washing machines, hand dryers, the Roald Dahl book Fantastic Mr Fox) to the Fijian babysitter who was minding his younger brother and therefore couldn’t get away.

As everyone’s heard, Fijians love kids. And Hamish, when he’s not having a meltdown or talking about his obsessions, looks and mostly behaves like any other kid. So a Fijian resort, with its mixture of relaxation and activities, all in a controlled environment, was a perfect place.

For Hamish, the resort came with an added bonus – a laundry full of washing machines and dryers, which he visited regularly. He eagerly looked forward to every second day, when he was able to swap cash for two tokens and put the family’s dirty clothes through the washers and dryers. A cue for funny looks from the other guests, but Hamish was in seventh heaven.

With everything going well, we fell into a daily routine of swimming, walks, playing at the beach and endless trips to the pool while the kids rode the hydroslide. At the end of the day everyone was worn out and, despite sharing a studio bure, the kids were asleep by 8pm most nights.

But it all came crashing down on day five when we headed to the beach for some snorkelling. Aspies need everything to be perfect so there was hell to pay when we realised Hamish’s mask and snorkel had been left behind.

We offered him other sets, but nothing but his would do. There was screaming, shrieking, stamping and shocked onlookers. That meltdown triggered other, smaller meltdowns and it became increasingly difficult to keep Hamish on an even keel.

By day six, we were acknowledging that while fun and definitely successful, for Hamish the holiday had been long enough.

Even so, the next day it was a wrench to leave. The sun shone, the sea glittered and the temperature was well into the mid-20s as we climbed aboard the boat back to Denarau.

Hamish was sorry to go, too.

“I like Fiji,” he said as we pulled away from the jetty.

“Can we come back another time?”

HOLIDAYING WITH AUTISTIC CHILDREN

* Plan ahead. Leave as little to chance as possible. People on the autism spectrum hate uncertainty.

* When things don’t go as they should, stay calm. If you get stressed, your autistic child will flip out.

* Try to stick to your usual meal and bedtime routines. Check that the resort or hotel has child-friendly or familiar food.

* Airports, unfortunately, mean queues. There’s not much you can do about this except allow plenty of time, stay unnaturally calm and accept that if your kid loses the plot, it’s not the end of the world.

Laurilee McMichael paid her own way to Fiji.

By Laurilee McMichael

With beaches covered in brilliant white sand, uninhabited Modriki is one of more than 300 Fijian islands peppering the Pacific Ocean. Photo / Creative Commons image by Christian Haugen

Tom Hanks spent the best part of two hours trying to stay sane while devising a way to escape a deserted island in the feature film Cast Away.

If you ever get the chance to visit Modriki, the Fijian island where the Hollywood blockbuster was filmed, the last thing you will want to do is leave.

With beaches covered in brilliant white sand and surrounded by a coral reef buried in snorkelling-friendly warm waters, uninhabited Modriki is one of more than 300 Fijian islands peppering the Pacific Ocean.
09-01-2012 08:00:00
It’s also one of the most notable day trip destinations because of its links with Cast Away.

Other than HELP ME being spelt in the sand with coconut shells – reliving the scene where Hanks tries to attract the attention of passing planes – there’s nothing to remind visitors of the production’s visit.

And it’s one of a number of Fijian islands that have seduced Hollywood.

Reality TV shows Bachelorette, Survivor and Celebrity Love have all been taped in Fiji.

Mel Gibson has his very own secluded isle, which includes a landing strip, and Paris Hilton has even hired an island for a weekend.

It’s testament to Fiji’s natural beauty and as you slip through the Pacific Ocean there’s not a land mass you pass that doesn’t entice you to visit.

However, on this day trip with South Sea Cruises aboard the Seaspray, an 83-foot schooner which was once the centrepiece of a TV show itself, there’s only time to visit Modriki and a nearby local village.

If you’re susceptible to being sea sick take precautionary medication and remember to take a hat and sunscreen and drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Otherwise, like the mayor of a small Texan town discovered on our tour when his friend almost passed out from sun stroke, you may have to upgrade to the air-conditioned captain’s lounge for the return journey.

The upgrade is only $12 extra each way and well worth it.

Mayor James Soefje enjoyed the trappings of the captain’s lounge, which included free drinks and snacks, but his Texan mate, with his red sunburnt face glowing like a Humphrey Bear night light, spent the 90-minute return journey with his head buried in the bench seat. Be warned!

The village tour provides an insight into the simplistic lifestyle of the not-so-rich and famous residents of Fiji.

Jewellery, shells and wooden carvings are sold by very laid-back vendors at the village market.

During the village tour on Yanuya Island, you will also be offered the chance to join in a short and sweet religious ceremony and afterwards you will be offered kava, a drink formed from the grounding of local plants.

Several day trippers took up the offer and while no one grimaced or screwed their face up at downing the muddy drink in one gulp, no one asked for seconds either.

Don’t be fooled by the lack of spirit, haggling or passion among the market sellers.

All of the stall holders share in the spoils of the sales so pushing souvenirs under your nose, saying they’ll give you a "morning price" or "love you long time" to get your cash is not part of their modus operandi.

These stall holders would rather sleepily laze in the sun, offer a friendly "bula bula" greeting as you traipse through aisles of grass huts and wooden stalls looking for your memento.

It’s a pleasant experience and very much in keeping with Fijian hospitality, whether it’s at a village or a five-star hotel like the InterContinental Golf Resort and Spa on Viti Levu.

Situated on the opposite side of the island and about an hour’s drive from where you depart for the Seaspray tour, the InterContinental is the ideal place to stay for honeymooners, loved-up couples and young families.

The staff are warm and friendly and the resort has its own beach – a little rocky and windswept – and an infinity pool, which provides the perfect surrounds to enjoy cocktails.

The oceanfront balcony rooms contain an outdoor bath that can be shielded from view and are virtually sound proof.

Handy if you wish to pump up the music, and you won’t be disrupted by the cries of a baby in a neighbouring room.

A nightly traditional dance ritual in the main bar at sunset adds to the atmosphere of happy hour.

For the sports-minded there’s a tournament-quality golf course, a small putt-putt green within the grounds of the resort and a volleyball court.

With all that at your disposal, now you just have to devise a way to get to Fiji and stay on one of the islands for as long as you can.

IF YOU GO

Where to stay: InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa at Natadola Bay from $184 per person twin share for a garden view room, includes buffet breakfast. Children 12 years and under stay and eat free (valid for sale and travel until March 31, 2012).

What to do: Creative Holidays’ South Sea Cruises Seaspray Day Sailing departs daily from Denarau with pick-up available from Coastal Hotels.

The writer travelled as a guest of Air Pacific, Creative Holidays, InterContinental and South Sea Cruises.

- AAP

By Darren Cartwright

Graphic / Herald on Sunday

A Kiwi missing off a yacht in the Pacific is under suspicion of faking his death to escape sex charges.

The man called for help from a yacht about 20 nautical miles south of the Cook Islands on January 3. Rescuers found the 36-foot sloop adrift and abandoned.

Details have since emerged which have led police to question whether the man is genuinely lost at sea.

It has emerged the man was due to appear in the Auckland District Court next month on 27 sex-related charges including rape, for which he has name suppression – the reason he can’t be named here.

But it has also emerged the man left New Zealand on a yacht which had been reported stolen. He was also in possession of a large amount of money at the time he disappeared.

Friends of the man – unaware of the sex charges – say he was a highly intelligent man and a careful planner with a life-long dedication to bucking authority.

“He wasn’t the sort of guy who would take a risk he wasn’t sure of,” said the owner of the yacht.

The man, who used the assumed name Gavin Maitland when he arrived at Rarotonga, had been expected to buy the yacht which he later sailed to the Cook Islands.

The yacht owner said the deal had evolved over two years and required “Maitland” to pay $20,000 for the yacht Sojourn out of the sale of his unit in the Auckland suburb of Henderson. The unit was listed for $195,000 and sold in early November.

“Maitland” was meant to use the money to settle the yacht purchase by December 20. When the owner went looking for him, he found “Maitland” and the yacht long gone. He reported it stolen.

Rarotonga harbour master Captain John Cornwell welcomed the yacht, which carried no obvious name, on December 31. “Maitland” introduced himself with his false name, saying he had left New Zealand on November 19.

“I said ‘what on earth are you doing in a yacht out in the middle of cyclone season … you must be crazy’.”

Cornwell said the arrival in the harbour was unusual. “Maitland” had sailed into the harbour in contravention of the rule which insists yachties call 24 hours ahead to arrange customs and immigration services.

Cornwell confronted him over the lack of warning which “Maitland” said was necessary. “He said he thought he was having a heart attack.”

While waiting for a truck to ferry him to hospital, “Maitland” explained he couldn’t produce passport or papers because they had been swept overboard.

“Maitland” told the harbour master he was only stopping off on the way to Tahiti before sailing past Pitcairn to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

“Maitland” returned from hospital saying doctors had confirmed heart trouble. He visited the hospital again on January 1, catching a taxi to an internet cafe before sailing.

Oddly – and honestly – “Maitland” was back on January 2 with money he had forgotten to pay the taxi driver. And then, he was gone again.

At 9.14am on January 3, “Maitland” radioed for help, saying he was having trouble breathing. Two hours later, authorities couldn’t raise “Maitland” so sent a patrol boat with a doctor and nurse. They found the yacht abandoned and empty.

Cornwell said “Maitland” had since been reported seen on Rarotonga. There was a reported sighting on January 5 – two days after he was believed to have gone missing.

“If someone had a jet ski, they could have whipped out, picked him up and been back within an hour.”

Inspector John Strickland said an ocean search turned up only a raincoat – originally thought to be a lifejacket. The yacht was returned to Rarotonga when it was searched and fingerprinted by police.

Strickland said it was possible “Maitland” had fallen in and become lost. But another sighting had also emerged – although this one suggested “Maitland” had somehow sneaked onto Rarotonga on December 29, two days before entering the harbour.

Asked if they were searching Rarotonga for the missing man, Strickland said: “I will not comment on that at this time.”

By David Fisher | Email David

New Zealand’s top cop Peter Marshall is a ‘very inspiring man,’ deputies say. Illustration / Rod Emmerson

The police are laying their ghosts to rest with different methods and a fresh culture, report Catherine Masters and Jared Savage

The country’s top cop, Peter Marshall, was out with the rank and file on the late shift on New Year’s Eve helping staff deal with a young woman cutting her wrists with a knife at the end of Princes Wharf.

A few days later one of Marshall’s deputies, Mike Bush, and a few other senior officers went to the mortuary while Disaster Victim Identification staff were assisting with the post-mortems of the Carterton balloon tragedy victims.

Marshall says that in the past executive staff would go out “sporadically, shall we say” with the frontline officers, but now they are out there regularly.

“This has been absolutely ingrained into the current executive and it’s good for the soul for them to be out on the street as well.”

Bush said: “Our staff will always confront bad people and do tough things and we just need to remind ourselves of that.”

This is the new top echelon of the New Zealand police, and staff all the way down the hierarchy seem to be highly impressed.

It’s unheard of, an officer told us, the Commissioner of Police going out on the beat.

“The guys really respond to that. He’s a very inspiring man.”

What a change. It wasn’t long ago that police national headquarters was described by the rank and file as “Bullshit Castle”.

An anonymous officer called it that in a report only last year, but was referring to how things were in former Commissioner Howard Broad’s day. “The Commissioner and all his mates at Bullshit Castle at headquarters should get back on the street and get a reality check,” the officer said.

The report, from PricewaterhouseCoopers was critical of the courage of senior management to make the bold culture change needed in the wake of a report into serious sexual misconduct by some in the police.

A series of rape allegations, sparked by Louise Nicholas, had led to prosecutions and in some cases convictions of police officers. What followed was a three-year Commission of Inquiry headed by Dame Margaret Bazley. Her report was five years ago but the fallout has lingered on and the reputation and morale of the police have taken a hammering.

Work immediately began to change the so-called “culture”, but last year former Police Minister Judith Collins warned senior officers to speed this up – and she changed the guard. Gone was Howard Broad (he did not seek a second term) and in was Peter Marshall, fresh from a stint as Commissioner of the Solomon Islands where he set about “rebirthing” that dysfunctional force. Marshall has streamlined its executive structure and brought in many new faces. A different style of policing is being developed and rolled out around the country in which prevention of crime is paramount.

Before long every officer in the country will be tasked, when attending a domestic or fight, with thinking about how to make sure there is no repeat incident. They will have to ask hard questions about why the crime happened and help in figuring out what can be done to prevent it happening again. Strangely, the nation’s top police officers, are not flinching at words like “holistic.” They have not gone soft, they insist. On the contrary.

But policing is becoming a lot more than just pushing criminals into the court system. It is about concepts such as second chances for low-level offenders and neighbourhood policing teams who get alongside communities and identify why the crime is happening, then try to do something about it, such as enlisting appropriate agencies.

A trial in Counties Manukau, when Mike Bush was district commander, has been so successful that Prevention First is being rolled out across the country as part of a range of initiatives under the heading Policing Excellence.

The new leadership and direction seems to be paying dividends with the troops. Marshall has two deputy commissioners – Bush and Viv Rickard. Of the more than 20 police officers we spoke to around the country, from constables to superintendents, every single one was glowing about the leaders. Some said it was the best administration they had served under in 30-year careers – one even called the three the “Holy Trinity.” Another said they were “good blokes, down to earth, no bullshit, no pretensions”.

Frontline staff are impressed that Marshall is their best cheerleader and that he cares about them in ways which make their lives easier.

Said one: “We would have been one of the only police forces in the world that didn’t supply shoes with uniforms. Howard Broad sat on that for years and Peter Marshall came in and sorted it out within six months. And other practical things, like trying to alleviate the amount of paperwork we have to do … They know how cops think and make decisions based on that.”

They also appreciate someone defending them in the media. Several commented on how quickly and firmly Marshall had moved to rebut a critical article by former MP and police inspector Ross Meurant in North & South magazine. Marshall regularly blogs on the police website and sings the praises of the force or points out positive public trust and confidence ratings or tells anecdotes.

Officers told us that in the past, management had been guilty of allowing people to stay too long in senior positions but now there are new district commanders in Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Tasman and Canterbury.

One said the appointments are popular because “they’re not giving jobs to f***ing idiots any more”.

Rosy as it sounds, there are those who urge caution. Greg O’Connor, the veteran president of the Police Association, agrees the force is looking good – but warns it’s still very fragile.

“You only need a few things to go wrong …”

Though it’s true there is more support at the frontline than he has ever seen, he points out that the police have had to go through a lot of pain to get there, and not just the pain of the sexual misconduct allegations and prosecutions.

There was Incis in the 1990s, the ill-fated $130 million computer installation which had to be abandoned. This led to budget cuts and meant there was no investment in infrastructure, so police stations and cars were run down and communications centres poorly resourced.

A disaster was waiting to happen and did happen when police failed to respond to Iraena Asher’s 111 call from Piha. The young woman disappeared and has never been found.

Police were slow, too, to respond to the methamphetamine boom which allowed organised crime to become entrenched, and a backlog of child abuse cases grew in the Wairarapa and around the country.

And though O’Connor is right behind Prevention First, he says this must not impact on the police’s core functions of responding to calls and investigating crime.

He also points out that Counties Manukau got 300 extra staff to get its good results, but the other districts won’t.

“With every new initiative you have to find staff to do it. Or something has to give. We’ve got to be careful about what gives.”

Peter Marshall acknowledges Counties Manukau had a leg-up with extra staff but says for a long time they had been under-resourced.

But he says the new initiatives won’t be to the detriment of response and investigation if police are smart about how they use staff. The emphasis is on sorting problems out once and for all, thereby preventing further crime.

“If everybody throughout the organisation has a responsibility to think ‘well, listen, we’re going to go this address, there’s been a serious assault, how can we actually make it our business in a constructive way to ensure we don’t, if possible, go back to that address again … It’s a collective approach, it makes sense, it’s logical and we’re confident.”

He doesn’t agree with everything that has been written and said about the police and “utterly rejects” a line in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report which found the DNA needed changing.

This is not the culture of the police he knew before he left for the Solomons and it’s not the culture he knows now.

As for the term Bullshit Castle, that has been around since he joined in the 70s – though says he doesn’t really know what it means.

“I talk frankly and honestly and my executive do and what may have been in the past, people will judge that, but we want fresh winds blowing through police national headquarters, we want absolute transparency.”

The police force has been around for a long time – 125 years – and has a very proud record and he doesn’t see there needs to be any rebirthing in this country, more a fine-tuning against the backdrop of the inquiries and public commentary, and that is what he is doing.

Under his watch, if the police stuff up they will acknowledge it, deal with it and move on. He points out they have 3000 taskings a day and in the past 12 months have dealt with earthquakes, the Rugby World Cup, tragedies and suspicious deaths, and do a great job.

“I’m not ignorant in the sense that I’m not blinded by New Zealand Police. I mean, we’ve got 12,000 people, they reflect New Zealand society, we will have people who err but by crikey they’re dealt with quickly, they’re dealt with efficiently and they will be under my tenure.”

The cornerstone at headquarters had been assiduously getting through the 60 recommendations of the Bazley Report, and most have been addressed or are in the final stages.

In Marshall’s view, the culture of the police is healthy, vibrant and constructive and underpins the good results they achieve.

He is clear Operation Austin – the investigation into sexual allegations against some officers – focused on a period of the 1980s and a cluster of police officers in the Bay of Plenty.

The majority of police today, probably 80 per cent, would not have even been sworn in as police officers in that era.

Marshall appointed Mike Bush as his second-in-command, along with already appointed deputy commissioner Viv Rickard.

Of Rickard’s many merits he praises his “wonderful understanding of the trials and tribulations of the frontline” and says of Bush that he is a polished investigator and is personable and practical.

Bush is also a driving force behind the Prevention First strategy. When we spoke to Bush, he said he joined the police in 1978 because he wanted to make a difference.

He didn’t ever expect he would be sitting in national headquarters making a difference to how New Zealand polices, but he is.

He wants New Zealand to be safe – not safer – and says this is possible with public buy-in.

And this is what the Policing Excellence policy is all about.

“It’s making sure people don’t become victims. It’s about making a safe society.”

There are new buzzwords and phrases in the policy, such as alternate resolution and pre-charge warnings, and these are about not routinely sending low-level offenders to court and clogging up the system.

It’s not touchy feely, because people still get arrested, but it is a holistic approach.

“What we’ve done is give our police officers back their discretion to decide whether or not they actually send these people to court. So we still encourage them to be arrested and detained and placed in police cells, but for a lot of the lower level offending that sanction is enough.

“Plus we’ll do some other stuff in the form of getting them some support and advice if they’re young offenders especially. One thing we don’t want to do is put someone on the justice treadmill that they may not be able to get off, so if we can divert them in another way … It’s not actually going soft, in some ways it’s a form of old-fashioned policing.”

The short-term goal is a 13 per cent reduction in crime and a 19 per cent reduction of entry into the justice system by 2014/2015, which he says is challenging but achievable.

One of the highlights of the new approach, he says, is that staff really believe in it because “it makes sense. It’s the right thing to do. Yes, in an ethical and a moral sense. It’s really what we come to work to do, it’s what we’re paid to do.

“We want to make our streets safe, we want to make our homes safe, particularly for children and other vulnerable people. It’s something we’ve absolutely got to focus on. And you asked, is it possible? It’s possible if the whole community, all New Zealanders, get behind it, that’s when it gets possible.

“It’s not possible if the New Zealand police try to do it alone but it is possible if the four-point-whatever million New Zealanders get behind it.”

Plans on how to get that buy-in are still to be revealed.

At the next level down from the police executive are 12 district commanders, three of whom are in the upper North Island. Marshall moved the district commanders from the old executive structure to give them an absolute focus on their areas.

Replacing Bush as district commander in Counties Manukau is John Tims. He has policed and lived in the area for many years but at 48 is part of a relatively younger team heading the districts.

He’s a big man at 197cm (6ft 4in) and is so keen on how things are going in the police and in Counties Manukau he drove up country from his holidays to speak with us.

He, too, has no problem talking about the police approach being a holistic one.

He has a particular compassion for victims of crime (and led the victim focus part of the Prevention First strategy) but acknowledges sometimes offenders are victims too.

“It’s easy for us to turn up at a scene and just arrest the offender,” he says, “but actually having a conversation with that person may change that person’s life.

“If we can get them early, talk to them and find out what the real cause is and get that help and assistance, do the wrap-around, then we’re all in a better place.”

Superintendent Mike Clement moves from the Bay of Plenty to take the helm at Auckland City. Though he did not want to speak before he starts the job, he is described as a straight shooter and tough as nails.

Up in Northland, Superintendent Russell Le Prou takes over from Superintendent Mike Rusbatch, who in turn is now in charge of Wellington.

Peter Marshall describes the whole crop of new and existing appointments to executive and district commanders as “absolutely ethical”.

He will be leaving the police in 2014, he says, at the end of his three-year Commissioner’s contract which will mean he has given close to 42 years’ service.

The police force he would be happy to see is one that is completely respected for its transparency, with happy police officers who know headquarters are right behind them and will back them up.

“It’s exactly what I will do, any time day or night if they’ve done the right thing, and even if they’ve erred but they’ve done so in good faith, I’ll back them up and I will do that publicly – and in private if need be.”

By Jared Savage and Catherine Masters | Email Jared

Pitcairn Island visitor numbers have fallen since a shipping lane change rerouted valuable sea traffic. Photo / Supplied

It’s bare of white sandy beaches and about as far away as you can get from anywhere – but that hasn’t stopped super-remote Pitcairn Island from marketing itself as a holiday paradise in a newly embraced tourism push.

Today, about 50 residents on the lonely island in the South Pacific are celebrating Bounty Day – or the 222nd anniversary of the burning of HMS Bounty – along with a handful of visitors who were drawn in for the festivities.

Islanders hope the official holiday, marked with boat races and the annual burning of a miniature replica of the Bounty, will become an annual tourist-puller as they look to holidaymakers as a way to bolster a flagging economy.

Visitor numbers have dwindled since a shipping lane change slashed the once-large number of ships that would stop by Pitcairn and buy produce and island-made crafts and curios, Pitcairn Islands Study Centre director Herbert Ford told the Herald.

The island’s international image had not recovered from the 2004 sex assault trials which resulted in six islanders – including mayor Steve Christian – convicted on 35 charges.

“That’s Pitcairn’s burden to bear,” said Mr Ford, who saw the trials as “just a piece of history now”.

Rather, islanders were keen to trade on the history of their mutinous sailor-ancestors who hid themselves away from British justice in 1790, immortalised on the the screen by the 1962 Marlon Brando film Mutiny on the Bounty, as well as the relics of other vessels shipwrecked near Pitcairn.

“There’s an awful lot of interest in the Bounty story, especially in Europe,” Mr Ford said.

“For tourists, Pitcairn has the smack of adventure to it, the romantic and adventurous story of the Bounty solidly glued to it … and it’s such an isolated place that you get the idea you are going to go as far from the outside world as you possibly can.”

But with the quest for seclusion comes the long haul of getting to Pitcairn, where visitors must first fly to Papeete in Tahiti, catch a flight to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands and then spend up to 36 hours on a chartered boat. “You do have a few cruise ships going by, but these don’t quite add up to what you used to have, with a few commercial vessels in one day,” Mr Ford said.

“In terms of tourists, on the other hand, it’s changed 100 per cent – whereas you might have once had four or five over several months, now they’re seeing four or five each month. They’d like to get that up to maybe 20 or 30 each month if they could.”

As for things to do, Mr Ford said visitors should not head to Pitcairn expecting another Hawaii or Fiji.

“Before I started the centre, I was seeing a tremendous number of newspaper pieces describing white sandy beaches and lazy islanders lying under palm trees, which was all cloud nine stuff.

“None of that applies to Pitcairn – it’s just a volcanic rocky outcrop and the biggest threat is falling off a cliff.”

Instead, Pitcairn tourism officials cite “great fishing”, quad bike tours, snorkelling, hiking and bird-watching among numerous other “fun spots” in a Pitcairn vacation package.

HIGHLIGHTS

Things to do on Pitcairn:

* Fishing: With pristine waters teeming with fresh fish, visiting fishers can head out with locals in a boat, fish off the rocks or get their catch underwater.
* Snorkelling and scuba diving: An abundance of marine life can be found around the island – especially amid the wrecks of the Cornwallis and the Bounty.
* Bird watching: The island boasts the endangered Pitcairn Island warbler, while Henderson Island, 193km away, is home to a range of birds including the flightless Henderson crake.
* Walking: The island is well signposted and offers an eco trail and unique flora and fauna along the track to local landmark Christian’s Cave.

By Jamie Morton | Email Jamie

Lucy picking beans on Heilala Vanilla’s plantation on Vava’u Island in Tonga. Photo / Supplied

Tauranga-based Heilala Vanilla has taken on investors famous for making cheese and vodka in a bid to accelerate export growth of its premium-priced vanilla products.

The company has signed an investment deal which will see the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund and Tauranga-based consortium Enterprise Angels BOP take a 45 per cent stake for an undisclosed sum.

Enterprise Angels involves 12 individual investors, including Kapiti Cheeses founder Ross McCallum and vodka brand 42 Below founder Geoff Ross.

Heilala sales and marketing manager Jennifer Boggiss said a huge capital investment and outlay went into developing export markets.

“We’ve started but there’s a long way to go and so not only are they bringing capital but they’re also bringing contacts and expertise, which is invaluable,” she said.

“We could have continued doing it ourselves and got there eventually but this is basically to fast-track it.”

The business was profitable but that was not a deal breaker for the new investors.

“They’ve got a long-term view and it’s all about building a brand.”

The company’s vanilla beans are grown on the Vava’u Islands in northern Tonga before being harvested and sent to New Zealand for processing and packaging into products including vanilla beans, extract, paste and syrup.

“It’s a true South Pacific partnership,” Boggiss said. “The main unique selling point is the whole brand story.”

The lease to the plantation in Tonga was granted to Boggiss’s father, John Ross, by the Latu family in recognition of his efforts to help rebuild the local community after a cyclone in 2001.

Ross sent money to help repair the Latu family’s roof and organised his local Rotary Club in South Auckland to undertake various repair projects in the local villages.

Afterwards, Laulile Latu offered Ross the lease on his family’s plot of land in return for establishing a business that would provide for the local community.

Heilala Vanilla was set up in 2002 and in 2005 the first beans were sent to New Zealand – this year the company expects to bring back about five tonnes, of which about half would come from a wider co-operative formed with other growers.

Vanilla is a climbing orchid and the company’s own plantation covers 4ha, with 2500 plants growing on coconut husks in a wire frame, Boggiss said.

“If you let them go they’ll grow to the heavens.”

The plant flowers once a year and has to be pollinated by hand on the day the flowers open.

Nine months later a mature green vanilla bean is harvested, which then undergoes three months of drying and curing.

The investment deal would provide a capital injection to expand the business and ramp up exports to Australia, US and southeast Asia, while new opportunities in the US, UK and Japan would be explored this year.

Consumers were more aware of where their food came from and wanted to use quality ingredients, Boggiss said.

“At a retail level there’s strong evidence that people are cooking at home a lot more and it’s like an affordable luxury almost to use real vanilla as opposed to artificial,” she said.

“We’re not the most expensive real vanilla but we’re definitely a premium product.”

The company was focused on high-end food markets, including products for retail, food service and manufacturers, such as a packet of three vanilla pods and a jar of paste which sell for about $15 and $23 respectively.

Boggiss was an accountant and her husband worked in information technology, when in 2005 her father brought back the first vanilla pods from the Tongan plantation.

“Then, we wouldn’t have envisaged what we’re doing now so it’s definitely been bigger than what we expected and more exciting.”

By Owen Hembry | Email Owen

Prime Minister John Key is dismissing accusations of cronyism in the Government’s choice of appointments to boards and working groups. Photo / Greg Bowker

Prime Minister John Key is dismissing accusations of cronyism in the Government’s choice of appointments to boards and working groups, adding that he gave the country’s biggest diplomatic post to former Labour Prime Minister Mike Moore.

The spotlight has shone on Government appointments after Stephen McElrea, a NZ On Air board member and Mr Key’s electorate chairman, raised concerns about the timing of a NZ On Air-funded documentary on child poverty four days out from November’s election.

NZ on Air chief executive Jane Wrightson then wrote to TV3, which screened the documentary, to convey her disappointment at the scheduling decision.

This week Mr Key defended the appointment of Stephen McElrea to the board, saying he added value to NZ On Air and had over 20 years’ experience in broadcasting.

All such appointments are political in the sense that the Government makes them, Mr Key said.

“There will always be people who we know .. . but we’ve appointed lots of people that have political linkages to our opponents.

“We did send Mike Moore as the ambassador to Washington, our single biggest post overseas, the former leader of the Labour Party. If you look at the vast array of appointments we make, I think the balance is about right.”

National also appointed former Labour deputy leader Michael Cullen to the deputy chair and then the chair of NZ Post.

Screen Production and Development Association chief executive Penelope Borland, in her latest newsletter to members, called for bipartisan board appointments.

“While all appointments to the board of NZ On Air are ‘political’ as in appointed by ministers, the appointment of active party political figures may be a step too far as board members need to maintain neutrality and put aside their political interests.

“Ideally, appointments should be made on a bipartisan basis.”

She said NZ on Air should never have taken the matter up with TV3.

“Once NZ On Air satisfies itself that the programme meets its investment criteria that’s where its role stops. Scheduling, editorial or content is the role of the broadcaster and NZ On Air should not get involved.”

Mr Key was on the defensive again when it was revealed former Act Party president Catherine Isaac was in line to lead a group overseeing the implementation of the charter school trials in South Auckland and Christchurch.

Mr Key said he would be comfortable if Ms Isaac took on the role, which was yet to be finalised.

Appointments under National
Judy Kirk, former National president, chair the board of the NZ Lotteries Commission

Don Brash, former National leader, chair of the 2025 taskforce

John Carter, former National Minister, High Commissioner to the Cook Islands

Mark Blumsky, former National MP, High Commissioner to Niue

Brian Neeson, former National MP, a member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal

Roger Sowry, former National MP and Minister, board member of the Electricity Authority and chair of two polytechnic councils

Belinda Vernon, former National MP, board member of the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.

Jenny Shipley, former National Prime Minister, appointed to chair Genesis and now monitors the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority

Kerry Prendergast, former National candidate, head of the Tourism Board

Stephen McElrea, John Key’s electorate chair and National deputy chair of the northern region, board member of NZ On Air

Appointments under Labour

Jonathan Hunt, former Labour Minister, appointed High Commissioner in London

Mike Williams, former Labour president, deputy chair Genesis Power, director of Ontrack, GNS Science, board membership of the New Zealand Transport Agency

Jim Sutton, former Labour minister, deputy chair of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission and Meridian Energy

Ray Lind, Labour MP Annette King’s husband, appointed to Hawkes Bay DHB

Graeme Kelly, former Labour MP, appointed High Commissioner to Canada

Stan Rodger, former Labour minister, appointed commissioner of the Electricity Commission, director of NZ Post and chair of the Health Workforce Advisory Group.

Dianne Yates, former Labour MP, appointed to the board of the Food Safety Authority

Jenny Kirk, former Labour MP, appointed to the board of the Cadastral Surveyors Licensing Board

By Derek Cheng | Email Derek

Immerse yourself in South Pacific cuisine at the inaugural South Pacific Food & Wine Festival on Fiji’s Denarau Island in March. Danielle Wright finds out what to expect.

The Hilton hotel’s Nuku Restaurant. Photo / Robert Clark

Fiji is not usually at the top of a tourist’s list as a foodie destination, but the supporters of a new festival hope to change that. Some big names are behind the inaugural South Pacific Food & Wine Festival to be held on Denarau Island in March.

It will feature a mix of celebrity presentations, master classes, cooking demonstrations, culinary workshops, signature degustation dinners, gourmet lunches and hands-on cooking workshops. Even children are catered for in this traditionally family-friendly holiday spot.

The epicurean traveller will be challenged to “Think global – eat local” while mixing with the likes of distinguished French chef Manu Feildel, festival culinary ambassador Robert Oliver and renowned Australian chef Ben O’Donoghue, as well as award-winning New Zealand chefs Peter Gordon and Michael Meredith.

Samoan-born Meredith still credits his mother and his Samoan upbringing for his no-waste culinary philosophy.

His signature menu, as part of the festival, is for Nuku Restaurant at the Hilton and based on an “energy is everything” philosophy to make food memories a whole experience.

Gordon particularly loves “coconut milk, fresh fish, taro leaves, vanilla, fresh vegetables and the vibrant flavours of South Pacific cuisine”.

The fresher the food, the better it tastes, so the dishes on offer will be authentic and like nothing you can taste away from the Islands.

South Pacific culinary ambassador Robert Oliver, author of Me’a Kai which won an international award for cookbook of the year in 2010, will head a Suva Produce Market tour and hold a masterclass on raw fish preparation, among other things.

All three chefs will create signature dishes and participate in a Festival Gala Dinner on the last night. Alongside them are restaurateurs, award-winning chefs from around the world, MasterChef judges and finalists, as well as a chocolatier from London.

Respected New Zealand foodie and Listener columnist Lauraine Jacobs will be the festival’s MC.

As well as workshops and classes, and fine dining offered at a fraction of the cost of any of the chef’s restaurants in Melbourne, Auckland or London, there are unique opportunities to be enjoyed. Participants can go on a fishing expedition, a plantation trek, and sample wares from boutique wineries, gourmet food producers and suppliers to the hospitality industry.

After all that eating and drinking, there’s always the golf courses, pools and spa facilities to restore your appetite for … even more eating and drinking at the evening events.

As part of the festival, kids can do a cooking class and then host their parents for lunch.

Three Australian MasterChef finalists will judge their masterpieces.

“Mum, Dad and the kids can go to a different cooking class and cook together at home afterwards,” says festival organiser Robert Clark.

“My sons help me in the kitchen – a family that cooks together in a kitchen is a happy thing.”

“The festival is about the theatre of food, and chefs love to perform,” says Clark.

“They do it for the applause, for the love, and to make people happy.”

Supporting the locals

The celebrity chefs travelling to Fiji for the festival, including Michael Meredith, pictured, won’t just be showing off their skills, they’ll also be passing on their knowledge to local counterparts. Running in conjunction with the public festival is a trade conference to encourage the use of local food in the tourism industry.

Event organiser Robert Clark says a long-term objective is to do with sustainability: up-skilling local chefs as well as helping farmers to supply the resorts.

“Ten years ago, 100 per cent of the food at the resorts in Fiji was imported from Australia. Now, I know of a local businessman with organic lettuce who is doing about 70 per cent of the resort’s lettuce. Pork and chicken are also bought locally and there’s an increase in demand for what grows naturally – local herbs, mangos, etc. Tourists want authentic local food, not just a club sandwich,” Clark says.

A free teaching class for emerging Fiji chefs – newly graduated or working sous chefs – will run for two days so visiting chefs can pass on their knowledge.

“The information the ‘oldies’ can impart is invaluable,” says Peter Gordon.

“There will be many experts in various fields, from high-end dining through to the export potential of local ingredients; everyone will learn many things. This event is a summit of Pacific ideas and possibilities with many things worth looking at from a business and hospitality point of view.”

IF YOU GO

Where to stay: The festival is located on an integrated resort island, which is home to five international resorts on the western coast of Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu. The resorts to choose from are:

* Sheraton Fiji Resort, ph 00 1 679 675 0777.

* The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, ph 00 1 679 675 0000.

* Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, ph 00 1 679 675 1111.

* Fiji Beach Resort & Spa, managed by Hilton, ph 00 1 679 675 6800.

* Radisson Blu Resort, ph 00 1 679 675 6677.

Further information: The inaugural South Pacific Food & Wine Festival runs from March 14-17. Day passes cost FJD$333 (NZ$230); a three-day pass is FJD$777. Three-day passes include a signature lunch, access to all guest chef presentations, culinary workshops and masterclasses, as well as themed coffee breaks and morning teas. Day passes exclude evening social events. For bookings and more information see southpacificfoodandwine.com.

FIJI’S TOP FIVE

Rochelle Cleaver of Meadowbank Flight Centre in Auckland shares her top tips on places to go and things to do in Fiji.

1. If you’re travelling in a group the family beach bure at Castaway Island in the Mamanucas is perfect – it sleeps up to 10 people.

2. Head to Beachcomber for some time in their barefoot bar. The floor is completely covered in sand.

3. Try the swim-up bar at Malolo Island Resort – have a cocktail while cooling off in the adults-only pool.

4. Visit the Sri Siva Subramaniya Temple. It’s beautifully painted with every colour possible. Remember to cover up your shoulders when you’re inside as a sign of cultural respect.

5. The jet boat safari on the Sigatoka River is a must-do. The river is like glass and you can experience a true Fijian village along the way.

* For more information on Fiji, contact Rochelle and the team at Meadowbank Flight Centre on 0800 427 555.

By Danielle Wright

Selena Gómez y Demi Lovato en el especial de fin de año de MTV

Demi Lovato y la estrella de la serie de MTV, Teen wolf, Tyler Posey serán los anfitriones en el especial de año nuevo de MTV. Cantando en vivo desde los estudio del Times Square el 31 de diciembre, El dúo se unirá a otras estrellas que entretendrán al público esa noche especial como Selena Gómez, J cole, Jason Derulo y el rapero Mac Miller.

Haciendo una especial aparición las actrices Vanessa Marano y Katie LeClerc. La celebración anual será trasmitida en vivo en la costa este a las 11 pm, horario local.

“Estoy muy emocionada de cantar en el especial de año nuevo de MTV en el Times Squere, también de compartir el escenario con amigos y músicos sorprendentes” dijo Demi Lovato.

Tyler Posey dijo, “me encanta el especial de año nuevo de MTV y estoy emocionado de ser el co anfitrión de la velada junto a Demi Lovato. Me encantan las presentaciones y hay varios actos preparados para este año”

Mientras tanto en ABC, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Hot Chelle Rae y Pitbull aparecerán en “The Ryan Seacrest” conducido por Dick Clark.

|||Música Nueva canción de Maná al estilo de José Alfredo Jiménez Música "Spandex on the Distant Horizon", nuevo disco de Ke$ha Música "Only want to dance with you", nueva canción de Ke$ha Cine Nuevo póster de la película de Batman, “The Dark Knight Rises” Televisión Claudia Lizaldi deja Televisa, por Cadena Tres Videos Trailer de la película "Hombres de Negro III"   Comentarios Selena Gómez y Demi Lovato en el especial de año nuevo de MTV |||Taylor Swift

Sagitario 23 Noviembre – 21 Diciembre

Persona jovial, viajera, deportista, ama la justicia y la libertad, es sociable, abierta de mente y optimista.

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