Checkpoint. 2003-05-08

Passengers and crew coming off international flights at Auckland airport next week will be screened by a thermo-imaging camera in a three day trial to see if it's worth using the device in the battle against SARS. Countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong are already using the technology to pick up passengers with high temperatures, and the Ministry of Health here says a local company approached it several weeks ago with the offer of a camera. Public health nurses are already stationed at the main airports as part of New Zealand's attempts to keep the disease at bay, but the Director of Public Health Dr Colin Tukuitonga says it's worth looking at what thermo-imaging has to offer. He says the trial will look at the extra demands the camera places on health staff, and how well it works. PREREC
The Government has now officially announced it's willing to put up about 34-million-dollars of taxpayers money to help Team New Zealand successfully challenge the America's Cup in Europe. It's already set aside just over 5-million so the team can afford to keep its key members. And the America's Cup Minister, Trevor Mallard has announced that, as long as certain conditions are met, the Government is willing to stump up with the money, as a marketing partner in the cup challenge. Our political reporter, Jane Patterson, was at the announcement and she joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
Joining me now is the chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association John Moriarty. LIVE
A legal bid to stop the 700 million dollar Māori Fisheries Allocation process, has been rejected by the high Court in Auckland this evening. Māori groups had claimed fishing assets would not be shared equally, under an allocation model proposed by the Waitangi Fisheries Commission. Before the beginning of the Court hearing this afternoon our Māori issues correspondent Gideon Porter asked Donna Hall, what would happen if the legal bid was rejected by the High Court. CUT Well Gideon joins us now.... LIVE
BUSINESS with PATRICK O'MEARA
The Mental Health Commission is rethinking it six year old target of how many people should have access to mental health treatment.
Each year the Commission reports on progress towards lifting the services to the recommended level where 3-percent of the population can get mental health care. This year's report shows that although there's been a slight improvement the number of people accessing services is still only at 1.7 percent despite increased funding. Commission Chair Jan Dowland says a significant factor is the continuing problem recruiting and retaining mental health staff but the slow pace in access to services is not the only way to measure how well the sector is doing. PREREC
Meridian Energy which is the country's largest generator of electricity, has unveiled plans to build a multi million dollar wind farm on the northern side of the Manawatu Gorge. The company expects to have 55 wind turbines capable of producing enough power for 32 thousand homes, in full production by early 2005. I asked Meridian Energy's chief executive Keith Turner whether people have said they're concerned about possible noise from the wind farm. PREREC
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SPORT STEPHEN HEWSON
Pressure is mounting on Australia's Governor General Peter Hollingworth to resign following ongoing criticism of his handling of child sex abuse allegations when he was an archbishop during the 1990s. Senior government ministers and several Anglican bishops have suggested Dr Hollingworth consider his future in order to salvage the credibility of the office. But Australia's Prime Minister John Howard who has been in London meeting with the Queen and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is still standing by the Governor General. CUT Despite this Mr Howard refused to answer a question about whether he retained confidence in Doctor Hollingworth. Joining me now is our Canberra correspondent Kerry Anne Walsh. LIVE
The Ministry of Health has admitted it was mistaken when it told the Auckland District Health Board it was being over-funded by 30 million dollars under a new funding model. The board, and others around the country, are moving to a new form of funding which takes account of not only the number of people, but also the type of population, they serve. This means some boards will get more, while the funding for others will stay still. The Auckland board had queried the Ministry's estimates for its new funding and today the Director-General of Health, Karen Poutasi attended the monthly meeting to explain how the botch-up occurred. Jennifer Dann was at the meeting and I asked her why Dr Poutasi had [illegible] to the board. PREREC
A 20-year-old law that denied thousands of Samoans New Zealand citizenship has been labeled racist, shameful and a blot on New Zealand's statute books. A select committee of MPs today heard submissions on a 100-thousand signature petition, calling on the Government to repeal the Citizenship (Western Samoa) Act. The 1982 Act was a response to a Privy Council ruling in the case of a Samoan overstayer - that upheld her right to claim New Zealand citizenship. Our political reporter Julian Robins compiled this report. PKGE
In Argentina, more than 17 hundred people are still missing in the northeastern province of Sante Fe following the worst floods there in more than 500 years. 24 people have been confirmed dead after Sante Fe received one and a half metres of rainfall in just two days last week - with the water as high as eight metres in some parts of the region. Officials have organised a search for the missing, but a quarter of the province is still underwater and it's believed some are seeking shelter on rooftops. 150 thousand people have been evacuated as a result of the flooding and a curfew has been imposed because of looting in the province. A Red Cross spokesperson in Sante Fe Paola Chorna says that [illegible] still flooding in the province and much of the water is stagnant causing a health risk. PREREC
US President George Bush has demanded the United Nations lift its sanctions against Iraq. It follows the announcement by the US Treasury Secretary that some of the restrictions imposed by the American government are being scrapped immediately. Washington says it will begin allowing aid supplies to be sent to Iraq and premit humanitarian work by US based organisations. Our Washington correspondent Steve Mort reports. PKGE
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