1700 to 1707 NEWS
CUT - That's Warren Brown telling the High Court in Whangarei today about the devastating impact of his daughter's death. 16 year old Renee Brown was killed at a party and 15 others injured last February when Julie Johnson drove through a crowd of teenagers. Today, in sentencing Johnson to seven years jail for manslaughter Justice Nicholson said there were a number of mitigating factors, and also revealed details of her violent and abusive childhood. But angry parents and their injured children don't accept that. CUT
Our reporter in Whangarei, Lois Williams joins us now. Q + A
A plan which could see traditional Māori land in Northland transformed into a high priced coastal subdivision for Auckland millionaires is being accepted by the local MP, Dover Samuels. Mr Samuels, is one of the landowners as well as a [illegible] minister. He says the money will be used to pay off debt incurred when iconic land at Matauri Bay, north of Kerikeri, was used as collateral for a business deal that failed. Eric Frykberg reports. PKG
The defence lawyers for a man accused of double-murder say their client acted in self-defence in killing his ex-girlfriend. The Chinese student Wen Hui Cui (WHEN - HWEE -TSWEE) is charged with murdering 21-year old Bin Lin by stabbing her to death at a house on Auckland's North Shore in April last year. He is also accused of murdering 20-year old Ge Li and attempting to murder Jun Xin (Jun Jin), two friends of Ms Lin. Sarah North has been at the High Court in Auckland for the lawyers' closing statements today. Q + A
The passing of a United Nations resolution on the future of Iraq has been broadly welcomed by world leaders. It sets the stage for the hand-over of power to the interim government on June 30th, formally ending the occupation. The unanimous vote comes after days of diplomatic wrangling over the relationship between the new Iraqi leadership and the multi-national force that will remain in the country. Our correspondent, Steve Mort reports from the [illegible] Nations. PKG
1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH TODD NIALL
A new era in Māori politics is another step closer with the co-leaders of the Māori Party applying to registar its name and logo. Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples fronted up to the electoral commission in Wellington today with the necessary names of at least five hundred party supporters and a red and black logo for their "Māori Party". Mrs Turia also handed in her nomination to stand in the Māori Te Tai Hauauru seat for which a by-election will be held next month. Our political reporter Liz Banas was there. PKG
1730 HEADLINES
SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
A High Court judge has today acknowledged the upset in the Whangarei community, over the trial of the woman who drove her car into a crowd at a teenage party. Justice Nicholson sentenced Julie Johnson this morning to seven years in prison for the manslaughter of Renee Brown - the 16-year-old-girl girl killed by Johnson's drunken rampage.
There's been anger and confusion in the community that Johnson was not convicted of murder - and also that she was found not guilty of intentionally injuring fifteen other young people. The judge said today that bewilderment was understandable - but that did not mean the jury was at fault. Detective Sergeant Rob Hughes is the police officer who headed the investigation and who has been working closely with victims and their families. LIVE
Shirley-Anne Brown's son Nitama is one of the teenagers who was injured when Julie Johnson drove through the crowd of partygoers last February. He suffered knee and head injuries. Ms Brown is also one of the organisers for the "justice for our kids" march that happened on the weekend.
She joins us now. LIVE
New Zealand Police have been involved in what's thought to be one of the world's largest drugs raids in Fiji. The operation involving New Zealand, Fijian and Australian police seized drugs and chemicals with an estimated street value of nearly a billion dollars at three factories and homes in the [illegible] Suva. Seven people have been arrested. Spokesman for Fiji Police, Mesake Koroi (Mass-a-key Kor-roy) LIVE
The government is investigating how many New Zealand vessels are deep sea trawling international waters, in light of a Greenpeace-backed campaign calling for a halt to the practice. And it says it is already in talks with Australian government over protecting those parts of the Tasman Sea which are outside both countries' territorial waters. The comment comes as environmental groups push for a moratorium on the practice, at the United Nations meeting on ocean issues underway in New York. Robyn Cubie reports. PKG
A Department of Corrections report has found poor supervision and inadequate risk assessment contributed to the escape of a convicted murderer from Rolleston Prison in Christchurch last October. Andrew Robert Barry Rodgers absconded while working in the prison nursery and was on the run for three days before being recaptured in Oamaru.
The internal audit report says although Rodgers made a spontaneous escape, the risk factors of placing him at the nursery had not been adequately considered and his instructor failed to comply with checking procedures.
[illegible] Regional Manager of South Island Prisons, Paul Monk, joins us now. LIVE
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