About Justine Southwick

Justine Southwick started her journalism career at City Weekend, a former weekend lifestyle publication run by the Waikato Times.

After 18 months in the role she left for a working holiday in the UK. Upon her return Justine moved to Kaitaia, where she worked as a journalist, columnist and sub-editor for The Northland Age. She returned to Hamilton in 2004 to take up a position as production supervisor (advertising features) at the Waikato Times.

During the two years Justine was in this role, she also took over managing the Times’ books page and was responsible for writing Our People, a column featuring someone from a different ethnicity each week.

In 2006 Justine transferred to The Dominion Post, where she worked as a supplements journalist and editor.

She then moved into public relations, taking up a role as media advisor for Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing in November 2006. She remained here till expanding her freelance business in 2009.

Justine’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Media Arts and a diploma in journalism, both gained from the Waikato Polytechnic (now Wintec) in Hamilton from 1997-1999.