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Checkpoint FOR WEDNESDAY 29 JUNE 2011
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Today an aunt of the Kahui twins acted out their father's response to the news his sons were sick in hospital. Mona Kahui was giving evidence at the inquest into the deaths of the three-month-old brothers, Cru and Chris. She is the sister of Chris Kahui, the boys' father, who was acquitted of their murder in 2008. At one point, she acted out Mr Kahui's reaction to his boys being hospitalised. CUT Our reporter Will Hine is covering the inquest. Q&A
The new Children's Commissioner says parents suspected of child abuse should lose their right to silence in the legal system. Russell Wills, who takes up the role next month, is backing the stance taken by senior paediatrician Patrick Kelly at this week's inquest into the death of the Kahui twins. But the Law Commission says a change is unlikely to make it any easier to solve cases. Rowan Quinn reports.
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308 Defence Force staff have been told today they will lose their jobs in the first round of a cost-cutting exercise to save 23 million dollars. The positions include drivers, instructors, logistics and admin people all of whom don't need military training and who Defence says should be civilians. A non-uniform job is on average 20 thousand dollars cheaper because staff don't get a range of military allowances. The assistant chief of personnel, Commodore Kevin Keat says those affected have been getting the details this afternoon. PRE-REC
Police in Kabul have been sifting through a landmark hotel room by room for any more casualties after the overnight assault by Taliban suicide bombers. In a five hour standoff they killed 10 Afghan civilians, triggered explosions and were picked off themselves by armed helicopters. New Zealand has elite SAS troops in Kabul but Prime Minister John Key says to the best of his knowledge they were not involved. Our correspondent in Kabul Farhad Peikar joins us now. LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Patrick O'Meara
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Supporters of a pro-cannabis campaigner who sold drugs at a marijuana club are furious he's been jailed. Ken Morgan, who's known as Dakta Green, has been sentenced to eight months jail for selling cannabis, and allowing people to smoke at his club dubbed The Daktory in 2010. Olivia Wix spoke to some of his supporters outside the Auckland District Court. PKG
Happy Feet the sick Emperor Penguin will be released out to sea when, and if, it recovers. That decision made today means he'll be let go in a part of the southern ocean where it's known that juvenile emperor penguins pass through. Peter Simpson of the Department of Conservation joins us now. LIVE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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Greek politicians are poised to vote later today on austerity measures that have sparked nationwide strikes and the worst rioting in Athens for more than year. A 48 hour general strike heads into its second day after a first day marked by running battles between protesters and police firing tear gas. Malcolm Brabant in Athens joins us now. LIVE
The Government's making it easier to build new toll roads and to use public private partnerships for funding under proposed changes to land transport laws. The Transport Minister, Steven Joyce, says the changes will save time money and red tape. PRE-REC
Auckland health officials are trying to contact 40 Thai Airways passengers who arrived from Bangkok ten days ago on board a flight with a woman who had measles. The people would have been sitting near the woman on Flight T-G-4-9-1 and may already have become sick. The infected passenger was in the early stages of the illness and did go to North Shore Hospital when she got worse. Staff there took several days to find out what she had. Auckland's Medical Officer of Health, Dr Richard Hoskins, says it's possible many others have been infected. PRE-REC Dr Richard Hoskins says symptoms include a fever, runny nose, cough and sore eyes, followed by a raised red rash that starts on the face and moves to the rest of the body.
The recovery work at the Pike River mine has slowed just a day after teams went in for the first time since the fatal explosions seven months ago. The Mines Rescue Service is building a temporary air lock about 170 metres into the shaft. Bernie Monk a spokesperson for the families of the 29 men killed last November says the teams have only been able to do two trips inside the entrance today instead of three. He went up to the mine earlier on. PRE-REC
A violent offender, at high risk of reoffending, has been freed from prison without residential restrictions. Former Mongrel Mob member Warren Te Hei was locked up in 1993 for aggravated robbery, and had jail time added later for trying to murder a fellow inmate. In 2000, he was one of a group of Mangaroa Prison inmates who received 325-thousand dollars following accusations of ill-treatment by prison guards. Te Hei would have been released in 2006, but has been detained until now because of his high risk. The Probation Service's general manager, Katrina Casey, says he has been checked on each day since his release on Monday. CUT Our Justice reporter, Tim Graham, is with us now. Q&A
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17.45 WAATEA
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The Government is lauding new figures from the Ministry of Health which reveal a big drop in wait times for heart surgery. It's a sharp turnaround from 2009 when wait times ballooned to six months - compared with just a few weeks today. Karen Gregory-Hunt reports. PKG