Checkpoint. 2003-05-29

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2003
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144377
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Rights Information
Year
2003
Reference
144377
Media type
Audio
Item unavailable online
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RNZ Collection

The Nepalese authorities are hoping that the celebrations to mark the 50th annniversary of the first conquest of Everest will help revive a tourism industry nearly wrecked by a Maoist revolt.
Elaborate festivities are being held across the impoverished Himalayan country [illegible] to commemorate the historic climb by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The 83-year-old Sir Edmund is expected to be presented with honorary citizenship of Nepal as part of the celebrations. He says he never imagined he would receive so much international attention as a result of reaching the summit of Everest. The ABC's Auckland correspondent Gillian Bradford compiled this report. PKGE
New Zealand's ambassador to India Caroline McDonald is in Kathmandu for the celebrations and she says there's a real buzz about the place. PREREC
Meanwhile people throughout New Zealand are joining in the commemorations. Forty local councils and sporting organisations around the country have arranged ceremonies to mark the day. One of them was in Wellington, from where Eric Frykberg begins this report. PKGE
The board of the beleaguered Māori broadcasting funder, Te Mangai Paho (te MAR-ngeye PAR-hor) has held its first meeting since yesterday's resignation of its chairman. Toby Curtis quit after a Treasury report found that conflicts of interest involving a former employee were handled poorly. The report found that Tame Te Rangi not only failed to disclose a fraud conviction, but used his managerial position to approve funding for a company he did broadcasting work for. I'm joined now by Te Mangai Paho's interim chairperson, Wira Gardiner. LIVE
The Act Leader Richard Prebble has revived the idea of a grand centre-right coalition between his party, National and New Zealand First. The National Party leader, Bill English raised the idea before the last election. In a speech in Wellington today, Mr Prebble says poll results suggest a grand coalition between the three parties could be a formula for a stable centre right government. Bill English is not ruling the idea out but he says it's not high on his agenda. CUT But the New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters says most of his party's policies are the complete opposite to those of ACT. Mr Peters says Richard Prebble is getting a bit desperate. CUT Joining me now is the ACT Leader Richard Prebble. LIVE
BUSINESS with JOHN DRAPER
The looming sale of a block of prime downtown land in Wellington is raising alarm bells with community groups and residents of one of the city's more [illegible] suburbs. The section of city council-owned properties lies between Victoria and Willis Streets, and has a quotable value of around 14-million dollars.
Currently, it's occupied mainly by two-to-three storey buildings, and tenants include social service organisations who have until now enjoyed cheap rents. And as Patric Lane reports, the prospect that new developments on the site could be as high as 90-metres tall, has some who live on the hills overlooking the city crying foul. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
A Christchurch surgeon is criticising the rationing system for elective surgery which has seen over 10-thousand patients dropped from Canterbury district health board waiting lists. The board is the last of the country's 21 district health boards to adopt the points system. But the chairman of the New Zealand National Board of the Australasian College of Surgeons, Phil Bagshaw, says the system is bureaucratic and expensive to administer, and people in genuine need of operations are missing out. CUT But the general manager of Christchurch Hospital Jim Magee says the system gives people more certainty about whether they will get publicly funded operations.
He joins me now. LIVE
A pornographic filmmaker is defying an order from the Auckland Regional Council to stop filming adult movies in public parks. The Council is writing to Vixen Direct, which was involved in a controversial attempt to film a woman giving birth, warning it will have trespass notices issued, and call in the police if necessary. The company admits it has filmed in regional parks without the required permits several times. Its owner, Steve Crow says council staff are [illegible] idiots - but he will indeed send them a reply. CUT So what does the council make of that?
I'm joined now by Auckland regional councillor, Bill Burrill. LIVE
At this exact time 50 years ago, Sir Edmund Hillary and his climbing partner Sherpa Tenzing Norgay from Nepal reached the summit of the world's highest mountain Mount Everest. Robyn Cubie compiled this collection of the thoughts and feelings of that great achievement at that time, and now. MONTAGE
The 50th anniversary has also raised questions about the number of climbers using the mountain. Right now there are more than one thousand people at the base camp, part of more than 20 expeditions. Climbing teams typically consist of more than 100 people, normally seven climbers, plus Sherpa guides, porters, cooks and other staff. Sir Edmund Hillary is aghast at what he considers to be the level of luxury on the mountain suggesting the number of expeditions should be restricted, But Sir Chris Bonnington, a British mountaineer who has reached the summit, disagrees. CUT
David Allardice is a New Zealander who has become hooked on Nepal - and been living there for many years running a river-riding tourist operation. He says the week in Kathmandu has been one long party. PREREC
The seafood industry is being warned it will have to adapt to environmental and climate changes to develop further this century. The effects of climate change on fish stocks, and of commercial fishing on seabirds were discussed at the annual Seafood Industry Conference in Auckland today. Anna-Louise Taylor has been there. PKGE
MANA NEWS
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