Checkpoint. 2003-04-28

The electricity crisis is deepening with consumers being asked to double savings to 10 per cent because of continued low inflows to hydro lakes. Savings of just over three per cent have been achieved in the past fortnight, but the Winter Power Taskforce co-ordinator, Patrick Strange, says much more is needed if power cuts are to be avoided in the coming weeks. And for Government agencies the savings target is even higher - 15 per cent. The Cabinet agreed to the target today and it may be in force for the next six months. The Energy Minister, Pete Hodgson says it's important for the state sector to take the lead in making savings to reduce the risk of power shortages. But he says the government won't be taking any punitive measures against departments that do not meet the target. CUT So what are the prospects of sustained rainfall over the coming weeks? The Metservice says it is likely there will be a burst of heavy rain later this week. But Jim Salinger from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research says the long term outlook is not so positive. CUT
Well I'm joined now by the Winter Power Taskforce co-ordinator, Patrick [illegible]. LIVE
The beleagured Probation Service is to get more staff and a big increase in money for training, in a bid to improve a situation that's been described as near crisis. In a pre-Budget announcement the acting Corrections Minister, Margaret Wilson says the number of probation officers will go up from 500 to 610 over the next three years. And the training budgets will be boosted by nearly 80 percent over the next two years. The Probation Service has been under fire over a number of incidents where offenders on parole were not monitored adequately. One report into the case of the convicted triple murderer William Bell highlighted mistakes by inexperienced staff who never checked Bell's address or even knew he was working at the RSA where the killings occurred. Margaret Wilson says today's announcment is an acknowledgment that the service has been under stress. PREREC
The Public Service Association which represents many probation officers, has described the Probation Service as being close to collapse. The union has been calling for more funding for the service saying it would mean fewer mistakes in the supervision and monitoring of people on parole. The National Secretary, [illegible] Wagstaff joins us now. LIVE
BUSINESS with JOHN DRAPER
A 21 year old Tauranga labourer will have to pay 15-thousand dollars in reparation after filling a 16-dollar packet of tobacco with flour and setting off a major bio-terrorism alert in the city. Timothy Day was convicted on a charge of obtaining cash by false pretences and ordered to pay the compensation after the incident in March. Our reporter, Andrew McRae was at the Tauranga District Court and he joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
Doctors are being offered internet-based training to help them to identify and manage patients with early alcohol problems. The Royal College of GPs and the Alcohol Advisory Council have unveiled an interactive online workshop offering guidance on how to question patients about alcohol use during consultations for other problems. As an incentive, GPs who complete the two hour workshop will get valuable credits towards their continuing medical education. Our Health Correspondent, Rae Lamb with this report. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
The Health Minister says this country's health system would struggle if there were a large scale outbreak of SARS here. Annette King says the health system would come under pressure if large numbers of people were infected, although the Government stresses there are adequate measures in place to deal with individual cases as they arise. Meanwhile, some educational institutions are continuing to ask students who holidayed in affected areas to stay away during the SARS incubation period, despite official advice that the precaution is unnecessary. Michele Hollis reports. PKGE
The threat of a terrorist attack in New Zealand has been raised today in Christchurch at a seminar on Border security. The forum discussed new challenges for the Maritime and Aviation sectors as well as the impact on transport and trade of protecting New Zealand's borders. Our reporter Katy Gosset has been at the seminar and joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPINS
The retired American general in charge of rebuilding Iraq is meeting up to 400 of the country's leading political, religious and ethnic figures in Baghdad later today to discuss the formation of a new Government. Jay Garner is [illegible] Iraqis that he will help forge an honest administration. Meanwhile, 13 of America's most wanted Iraqis are now in the custody of U.S. forces. And the self-appointed mayor of Baghdad, Mohammed Mohsen Zubaidi, has been arrested for trying to run the city without the authority of the Americans. Laura Iiyama has this round-up of the latest developments. PKGE
Argentina is heading for a run-off between the former President Carlos Menem and Governor Nestor Kirchner in its first presidential election since the financial crash which sent the country into its worst ever economic crisis. Argentina was once called the world's breadbasket, but after years of corruption and economic mismanagement six out of every ten people now live in poverty. The BBC's correspondent in Buenos Aires, Tom Gibb told me that 80 percent of the vote has now been counted and there'll be a run-off election between Carlos Menem and Nestor Kirchner on May the 18th. PREREC
There's a warning that car insurance premiums could go up if Auckland police don't investigate some minor traffic accidents. The police say they have insufficient resources to deal with every accident and are writing to affected people advising them to take cases to the Disputes Tribunal Anna-Louise Taylor reports. PKGE
The lawyer for three wrongfully jailed teenagers has rejected a Government offer of compensation for them, describing it as woefully inadequate. Lucy Akatere, McChushla Fuataha and Tania Vini spent seven months in Mt Eden Prison after they were wrongly convicted of aggravated robbery in 1999. The trio were aged 14 and 15 when they were jailed and were freed when an investigation revealed they were innocent. Last year they applied for what-is-believed-to-be hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation.
Their lawyer, Gary Gotlieb says the case is likely to end up in court after hearing from the justice minister, Phil Goff, today that the girls won't be getting what they asked for. PREREC
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