Ask to use material, get more information or tell us about an item
Checkpoint is a drive-time news and current affairs programme on Radio New Zealand National. It broadcasts nationwide every weekday evening for two hours and covers the day’s major national and international stories, as well as business, sport and Māori news. This recording covers the first hour. The following rundown is supplied from the broadcaster’s news system:
Checkpoint FOR FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2013
****************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
****************************
Investors will be able to buy shares in New Zealand's biggest state company - Meridian Energy from the end of the month. The shares will cost between 1 dollar 50 and one 1 dollar 80 each. Today the Government released the prospectus for the partial sale of the power company, which values the company between 3. 8 and 4. 6 billion dollars. Eric Frykberg reports.
PKG
The business commentator, Rod Oram, is with us now.
I/V
A body has been found on the beach near Haast, by Police searching for 2 missing Canadian tourists. With more, we're joined by Constable Rob Manera.
I/V
Team New Zealand and America's Cup defenders Oracle Team USA are at loggerheads over wind limits at the America's Cup after yet another race postponement on San Francisco Bay today. Oracle comfortably won the opening race of the day to get within six points of Team New Zealand, who lead 8 points to two in the first to nine. But racing was called off just a minute before the second race of the day, prompting Oracle to reveal they want an increase to the 20. 3 knot wind restriction for racing. Stephen Hewson reports.
PKG
A new report shows a science public sector chief received two payouts totalling almost 300 thousand dollars in less than two years because reforms changed his job. Murray Bain got 45 thousand 700 dollars when the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology was merged into the new Ministry of Science and Innovation two years ago. He headed up both, and on shifting to the Ministry got a pay rise of 140 thousand dollars taking his salary to over half a million. 19 months later when his ministry was merged into the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment he got another payout upon leaving of a quarter of a million dollars. That MBIE merger also resulted in a payout of 183 thousand dollars for Katrina Bach (baysh) who had headed the Department of Building and Housing. And David Smol, who transferred from the Ministry of Economic Development to head up MBIE, got 68 thousand dollars. Richard Wagstaff of the Public Service Association questions the payouts.
CUT
The payouts are revealed in the State Services Commission annual remuneration report for the year to the end of June. The Commissioner Iain Rennie is with us now.
I/V
***********************
1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS
************************
***********************
17. 30 HEADLINES
***********************
The police say an officer had to run for his life last night after being threatened by a man with a gun who crashed during a pursuit in Hamilton. The police are still looking for the gunman, and say he is armed and should not be approached. Superintendent Win Van Der Velde says the man's car slid off Gordonton Road into a ditch and the officer pulled up just behind.
I/V
The United States secretary of state John Kerry has called on the United Nations Security Council to pass a binding resolution next week on removing Syria's chemical weapons. Mr Kerry said the world could not afford to wait any longer. He again stressed it was indisputable that the Syrian regime was behind last month's chemical weapons attack near Damascus, an assertion that the Russian president Vladimir Putin strongly rejects. The ABC's Europe correspondent Barbara Miller reports.
PKG
DOC and the Conservation Minister are refusing to explain why it changed its mind within 48 hours about making a submission pushing for more scrutiny of the water quality impacts of a big dam project. A page from a just released DOC report shows the department told Nick Smith on Monday, July the 29th that its preliminary view was that it should lodge a submission asking for an independent review on how the Ruataniwha dam might harm the Tukituki River in Hawkes Bay. The Green Party co-leader Russel Norman is with us now.
I/V
It's hoped a photo exhibition that documents the changing face of one of Christchurch's red-zoned suburbs will go on tour to give the country a glimpse into the upheaval people have faced. The photos in the 'Thx for the memories' (Thanks for ) exhibition shows the transformation of Avonside from a suburb of well-loved character homes, to an increasingly vacant and desolate wasteland. On a rainy Christchurch day, our reporter Rachel Graham met some of those whose lives are on show.
PKG
***************
17. 45 MANU KORIHI
Ngā mihi o te ahiahi pō,
There are bigger pay packets for the pockets of the leaders of some of the Māori higher education institutes.
The State Services Commission has released statistics that show big rises across a number of Government departments, Ministries and tertiary providers.
Leigh McLachlan reports:
STATE-MĀORI-VCR
IN THE CHIEF EXEC. . .
OUT . . . THIS IS LM.
DUR 51"
--------
Iwi-owned Aotearoa Fisheries has bought part of the Auckland-based company Anton's Seafood.
Started in 1973, the firm owns a fishing quota, has a fleet of boats, and runs wholesaling, processing and export operations.
The deal - to be finalised at the end of October - is a combined effort between Aotearoa Fisheries, Sealord, and Te Ohu Kaimoana - the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission.
Aotearoa Fisheries will become the owner of Anton's factory in Mount Wellington in Auckland, and all three organisations will share the fish quota - which covers one of the Orange Roughy fishing zones.
Later, iwi will have the opportunity to buy some of the quota.
--------
A Māori economic development Trust says the topic about iwi investment in oil exploration and mining became buried at its conference.
Te Pūtea Whakatupu held its annual two day hui earlier this month in Waitangi.
The key-note speaker was the native-Alaskan owned Nana Development Corporation, which employs more than 10-thousand people.
The trust chair, Richard Jefferies, says the company was to discuss its successful mineral operations, but talks turned towards its extensive portfolio, which includes information technology, fishing and hospitality.
He says people were instead more excited and interested to see a tribal corporation doing so well across a range of industries.
--------
The Māori Blind Society says the biggest highlight of the last 30 years has been able to keep its visually impaired and blind members with their own whānau.
Ngāti Kapo o Aotearoa is celebrating its 30th anniversary this week.
Chrissie Cowan says, although technological improvements have enhanced its members lives, the most significant thing has been deinstitutionalising its members so they can stay with their whānau.
KAPO-DEINSTITUTE-TP
IN: THROUGH CHANGE FROM. . .
OUT: . . . TO LEAVE THEIR FAMILIES.
DUR: 30"
The tumuaki of Ngāti Kapo, Chrissie Cowan.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a final bulletin in an hour.
****************
Up to a dozen people, including a small child, have been shot in a park in the US city of Chicago. Reports are patchy but it appears the late night shooting took place on a basketball court in the park in the city's Back of the Yards neighbourhood. Perry Bauer of WBBM news radio in Chicago joins us now.
I/V
FIRE ALARM INTERRUPTED TRANSMISSION
********************
Presenter: Mary Wilson
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Susie Ferguson