Checkpoint FOR FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2010
****************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
****************************
All eight men found guilty of conspiring to murder Fiji Army Commander Frank Bainimarama have today received jail terms. The sentences range from seven years behind bars for the first accused, Naitasiri high chief Ratu Inoke Takiveikata, and one of the others accused, to three years. They were handed down by High Court Judge Justice Paul Madiga n in Suva a short time ago. Auckland businessman Ballu Khan, who was initially arrested with the eight, says it's a tragedy and they're innocent. PREREC
The Minister of Finance has no plans to loosen the purse strings, despite an improvement in the latest set of accounts. Bill English is still promising a tough budget despite crticism from his opponents that he's exaggerated a downturn in the crown's finances. Our economics correspondent, Nigel Stirling, has more PKG
The mother of the Auckland teenager mistakenly killed by police in a high speed chase has made an emotional plea in court saying she can't trust the police to keep her family safe. Ivoni Fuimaono's comments ended the inquest into the death of 17-year old Halatau Naitoko, who was caught in a crossfire as police tried to catch Stephen McDonald in January last year. Our reporter Georgina Ball has been at the coroner's court and filed this report PKG
Surgeons are demanding changes to a plan to introduce a new kind of health worker into public hospitals. United States-trained Physician Assistants are to be trialed at Counties Manukau District Health Board from July in a pilot planned by Health Workforce New Zealand and others. The goal of the pilot has been to free up surgeons from some less skilled duties to enable them to do more non-urgent, or elective, surgery But surgeons say it should cover acute care as well, and ease pressures on junior doctors. The head of surgery at Counties Manukau, Andrew Connolly, explains. PREREC
***********************
1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Naomi Mitchell
************************
The town of St George in southern Queensland is preparing for what's being tipped as the area's worst flood in more than 120 years, with the entire population on standby to evacuate. The river is expected to peak at 14 metres and a state of emergency's been declared. Joining us now from St George is the ABC's Fidelis Rego. LIVE
Regional mayors say getting rid of some of the country's railway lines will lead to increased congestion on roads. The Government is considering mothballing some lines to cut costs, including the Northern Wairarapa and Napier to Gisborne rail lines, which have little business. But regional authorities say the lines still play an important role in providing certain exports to them. Sam Morrah reports. PKG
***********************
17.30 HEADLINES
***********************
The Wellington Phoenix head into this weekend's soccer play-off against the Newcastle Jets as favourites. The Phoenix, who will play at home at the Westpac stadium in front of a sell-out crowd, need to beat Newcastle and then the losers out of a play-off between Melbourne and Sydney - in order to gain a place in the A-League final. They've had a tough week of preparation with coach Ricky Herbert and several players tied up with the All Whites friendly against Mexico. Joining us now is Assistant Coach Luciano Trani. LIVE
There's shock in a North Melbourne suburb after a three year old Indian boy disappeared from a house yesterday afternoon and turned up dead by nightfall. The boy disappeared while his mother was taking a shower. After a widespread search the toddler's body was found in long grass 30 kilometres away. Police are urging people not to jump to conclusions but have launched a major investigation. Rachael Carbonell reports from Melbourne. PKG
The chief executive of the Whanganui District Health Board has admitted she gave wrong information about a radiologist's workload, information which sparked questions about patient safety. Whanganui Hospital's sole radiologist is carrying the workload of less than two full-time radiologists, not the three-and-a-half she'd previously told news reporters. At the DHB's meeting today, the board chair also moved to reassure board members and the public that there's no move afoot to amalgamate with Mid-Central DHB. Our reporter Craig Ashworth was at the meeting. PKG
The completion of Queenstown's ambitious, 2 billion dollar, Kawarau Falls development nows looks shaky after the company building the final two stages of the complex was placed into receivership. Peninsula Road has been forced into receivership by the high-risk lending group, Fortress Credit Corporation. Steve Wilde reports. PKG
***************
17.45 TRAILS
****************
WAATEA
****************
More than a thousand people are stuck on ships trapped in ice in the Baltic Sea off Sweden's East coast. The vessels are grounded in the waters between Stockholm and the Arland (OR-LAND) Islands. The BBC's Fahana Darwood has the latest PKG
In the first ruling of its kind in the world, an Australian Court has concluded that taking the anti-arthritis drug Vioxx doubled the risk of heart attack and it wasn't fit to be used for the relief of arthritic pain. Before it was voluntarily withdrawn from sale more than five years ago the blockbuster drug was used by more than eighty million people worldwide. Its manufacturer settled a class action in the United States and paid out more than seven billion dollars to Americans who suffered heart attacks and strokes after using the drug. On behalf of one thousand Australians Melbourne man Graham Peterson led a class action claiming the drugmaker covered up the risk of heart complications. Alison Caldwell reports. PKG
The US arms giant, Lockheed Martin, says it will try to re-employ New Zealand army support workers when it takes over a 145 million dollar logistics contract in June. The company has won the tender for warehousing and repair work at Trentham and Waiouru, replacing contracts held by two Australian-owned companies. Will Hine reports. PKG
The veteran shearer who has taken out the title for those aged 65 and over at the Golden Shears is putting his win down to clean living and a happy marriage. More than five-hundred competitors are taking part in four days of competitions, which will culminate in the grand finals on Saturday in Masterton. Hugh McCarroll's last win at the event was in 1967. PREREC