Checkpoint FOR FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER 2011
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The container ship grounded off the coast of Tauranga is only just holding together. More than 350 tonnes of oil have poured into the sea since the Rena (Reena) struck the Astrolabe Reef last week in one of the country's worst environmental disasters. 88 of the more than 13-hundred containers have fallen overboard. Maritime New Zealand's Andrew Berry, says all that is holding the ship together is its position on the reef and some internal structure. CUT Two salvage teams were winched on to the vessel this morning to prepare for hundreds of tonnes of oil to be pumped off. Maritime New Zealand hopes to have all the necessary gear installed on the ship by nightfall - the vessel is too unstable for the teams to remain onboard overnight. READER
Matthew Watson is with the multinational firm Svitzer Salvage which is in charge of refloating the Rena, and recovering the containers lost overboard. He joins us now. LIVE
Our reporter, Andrew McRae, is in Tauranga and joins us now: LIVE
A kaumatua on Motiti Island - just seven kilometres from the grounded container ship - wants helicopters to help pick up the rubbish that is piled up along the coastline. Here's Graham Hoete (HOY-teh). PREREC
The Prime Minister told a public meeting of about 400 people in Papamoa that he is as angry as they are about the unfolding disaster. Our reporter Ian Telfer was there LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Sharon Brettkelly
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The All Blacks and Australia have named their teams in the final countdown to this weekend's do or die Rugby World Cup clash. New Zealand's made three changes to its starting fifteen, with Aaron Cruden officially named the top first five, while Australia's waiting another day to see whether fullback Kurtley Beale will be fit to play. Die hard fans on both sides of the Tasman are in for a nervous weekend as they wait for the kick off at 9 o'clock on Sunday night . Rowan Quinn reports PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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An investigation is underway in Papua New Guinea into the plane crash which has killed 28 people. The Airlines PNG Dash-8 aircraft came down about 30 kilometres south of Madang in late yesterday afternoon. It's now been confirmed that one of the four survivors is a New Zealand pilot. Johnny Blades reports. PKG
Aucklanders could have their rubbish collections cut back to once a fortnight and the council wants them to pay to have for every bin picked up. It also wants to introduce a three-wheelie bin system, with an emphasis on free recycling and organic collections. Will Hine reports. PKG
People in Whakatane are being trained in how to clean up the oil with Maritime officials saying the slick is heading that way. Maritime New Zealand's director Catherine Taylor says it's gone beyond Maketu for the first time, and there's an unconfirmed report of oil on Whale Island. She's reminding volunteers of the dangers. CUT Catherine Taylor admitted that getting locals involved in the clean up should have happened faster. CUT
People who are desperate to help clean their beaches have finally got the chance to don protective gear and work alongside officials. Braden (bray-don) Rowson from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council has been with one group today at Matua in the Tauranga Harbour. PREREC
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
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Kia ora mai good evening,
The leaders of Tauranga Moana iwi say there's been huge support from members wanting to help in the clean up effort of oil deposits from the grounded container ship, Rena. REE-na
A Ngāti Pukenga spokesperson, Awanui Black, says there's at least a thousand on the books.
He says more than a hundred volunteers are turning up every day to go anywhere they're needed.
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Awanui Black says about a hundred and 20 people attended a hui this afternoon at Mount Maunganui's Whareroa marae, to discuss concerns over the oil spill.
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A kaumatua on Mōtītī Island says it's now too dangerous to start cleaning up the oil and debris covered coastline.
The island is only seven kilometres from the Rena REE-na.
Graham Hoete says there've been huge swells today and the wind is blowing the horrid smell of oil right on to the island.
He says there are all kinds of waste from the ship strewn all over the place, including timber and rubbish.
Mr Hoete says because of the rocky coast it's far too difficult for people to clean it up.
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Graham Hoete says he suggested to a meeting on the island, that nets be dropped on to the beach at low tide, so people can clear the rubbish which could then be airlifted away.
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Ngāti Kahungunu iwi in Hawke's Bay is holding a hui on the Rongomaraeroa marae at Pōrangahau tomorrow, to discuss a proposed paua re-seeding project, aimed at boosting the population of the shellfish.
The Fisheries Director, Adele Whyte, says the idea is to take a hundred thousand juvenile paua grown in a land based hatchery at Te Kaha, and plant them at strategic locations along the Hawke's Bay coastline.
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Adele Whyte says it will be the first time a paua re-seeding project has been tried in the region.
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Central Auckland's Ngāti Whātua ō Ōrakei hapū has international plans for its giant plastic waka shaped pavilion, once the rugby world cup is over.
The two million dollar project which the Prime Minister opened last night, is open to the public until the end of next week.
The pavilion which showcases Māori culture, is over 70 metres long and more than 16 metres high.
The Director of Waka Māori, Renata Blair, says after the tournament attention will turn to taking it overseas.
He plans to meet with an architectural firm to discuss the logistics of shipping the pavilion and how much it could cost.
And I'll have a final bulletin for the week in an hour Mary.
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The Reserve Bank is pumping money into the banking system to keep down interest rates amid ongoing nervousness about Europe's debt crisis. In recent weeks the central bank has been topping up trading bank accounts to the highest levels since mid-2009. Our economics correspondent, Nigel Stirling, reports PKG
President Obama has brushed aside scepticism over whether Iran truly orchestrated a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the US. He says the United States didn't make the allegations lightly, but he declined to say whether Iran's president or supreme leader was involved in any way. The ABC's Jane Cowan reports from Washington : PKG
The last public golf course in Palmerston North has been ordered to close for littering a neighbouring organic farm with, among other things, stray golf balls. The Palmerston North District Court has given Brookfields Park Golf Club until the end of November to shut. Emma Hooilhan reports. PKG
One of the most senior ministers in the British government has been photographed dumping private letters and government papers in rubbish bins in a public park near government offices.
The Cabinet Office Minister Oliver Letwin was caught by the Mirror newspaper. The BBC's Robin Brant has the details. PKG