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**** CKPT FOR FRI 11 MAY 2007
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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There's new debate over why New Zealand dumped the Privy Council as the highest court in the land, and instead brought in the Supreme Court. The issue's been re-ignited after the London-based court quashed David Bain's murder convictions. The 35-year-old was convicted of the murder of his five family members in Dunedin in 1994. A date for a re-trial is in the hands of the Solicitor-General. David Bain's lawyer, Michael Reed has full faith in the Privy Council - but not in the Supreme Court. CUT He outlines his reasons for going to the Privy Council. CUT
And with no more Privy Council, Michael Reed says New Zealand should look again at joining legal forces. CUT
Des Thomas is the brother of Arthur Allan Thomas, who was pardoned by the Prime Minister in 1979 after serving 9 years imprisonment for the murders of Jeanette and Harvey Crewe. He says the Bain case shows again that New Zealand judges take too long to accept that something has gone wrong. CUT
Des Thomas says the right to appeal to the Privy Council should never have been abolished.
The Privy Council looked at fresh evidence that the Appeal Court here had decided was not enough for a jury to have reached a different verdict. The Council disagreed saying a jury should hear the new arguments. The nine key points included evidence about Robin Bain's collapsing mental state and that children at his two-teacher school had written stories about a family mass murder. There's also evidence that a bloodied sockprint could be Robin's not David's - suggesting the father could have walked around the house and fired the shots. The jury was also told only the killer would have heard David's sister Laniet making a gurgling noise after she was shot. David said he heard that noise. There's now conflicting expert witness evidence about that point. Criminal law professor Scott Optican says the Privy Council decision is NOT a major blow for the justice system here, nor does it show that setting up a Supreme Court was a mistake. Mr Optican is an associate professor of law at Auckland University. He says it's important to remember the Privy Council is not saying that David Bain is innocent but that the fresh evidence should be put before a jury. PREREC
And we should point out that we approached the Supreme Court to talk to us, but an official told us the wider issue of the court is a matter for the Government but there's been no response from the Minister of Justice.
The funeral has been held in Christchurch for 16-year-old Hannah Rossiter, who died last Saturday following a hit-and-run at a party. 15 hundred people attended the service at the teenager's school, St Margaret's College. Hannah Rossiter and 16-year-old Jane Young died after a car drove into hundreds of partygoers outside an Edgeware Road house last weekend. Charlotte Graham was at the service today and joins us now. LIVE Q&A
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS
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Lobbyists are claiming that a nine-percent jump in Auckland's water charges is a ploy by the City Council to disguise a rates hike. The council-run company, Metrowater, says homeowners can expect to pay around 2-dollars extra a week for their water from July. Lisa Thompson reports. PKG
Pope Benedict has told thousands of young Catholics in Brazil to resist the temptations of wealth, power and what he called the snares of evil. He was addressing a rally at a football stadium in Sao Paulo on the second day of his trip there. The BBC's Gary Duffy watched the rally: PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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A man police call a psychopath has been jailed indefinitely for the murder and sexual assault of a 20-year-old Wanganui barmaid. Shane Randle was sentenced to preventive detention this morning for killing Tania McKenzie on the night of her 20th birthday. Our reporter Bryan Gibson was in court, and filed this report. PKG
The Trade Minister Phil Goff says there is growing support in the United States to negotiate a trade agreement with New Zealand. Mr Goff is in Washington meeting key figures, including the US Trade Representative Susan Schwab. While he has been there the US Administration and the Democrat-controlled Congress have announced an agreement to include labour and environmental standards in trade deals. PREREC
The Prison Fellowship is warning re-offending will get a lot worse if nothing is done to reintegrate prisoners into society. It's calling for a new strategy to deal with the 39 percent of prisoners who are back behind bars within two years of leaving jail. The organisation is holding its annual conference near Wellington today, attracting more than 150 experts in the field. Our Justice reporter, Kate Williamson has been there. PKG
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WAATEA
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From next week Aucklanders will be able to exchange their old cars for four-hundred-dollars worth of free bus and train travel. The Associate minister of Transport Judith Tizard says the six-week pilot programme will target vehicles which are not roadworthy. Ms Tizard says the trial aims to reduce dangerous vehicle emissions and encourage people to use public transport. She says people will be able to phone a hotline and have their old cars picked up and taken to a scrap yard to be recycled. Scrap metal dealer Harry Wood, who joins us now, believes the initiative is a good deal. LIVE
A day after Tony Blair confirmed he'll quit as British Prime Minister next month, the man expected to replace him is set to formally declare his interest in the job. Chancellor Gordon Brown has been waiting in the wings for years and is the hot favourite to become the UK's next leader with no major challengers from within the Labour party in the running against him. He's expected to announce his bid tonight. Suzanne Chislett reports. PKG
German officials are putting together one big puzzle. In the last days of Communist East Germany, the secret police tore up thousands of sensitive files as they tried to hide their activities, agents and informers. But the paper shreds themselves weren't destroyed. Ever since then, a small group of patient workers has been trying to piece together the mangled documents. But now, as the ABC's Brendan Trenbath reports, government assistance is being offered and it's hoped computers will help complete the giant jigsaw: PKG
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