Checkpoint FOR WEDNESDAY 25 JANUARY 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The search is on for a Norwegian adventurer at the centre of a fatal Antarctic trip last year, who's thought to be heading back there now. New Zealand government agencies are worried there could be a repeat of last year's massive search sparked by the misadventure. Jarle Andhoy [yarley and-hoy], who's notorious in Norway for his adventures, has no authority to make this second attempt. But when he stopped in New Zealand earlier this month, illegally, authorities here did not waylay him. Andrew McRae reports. PKG
The Labour Party is upping the pressure on the Government over the sale of the Crafar farms, and is accusing it of stalling a decision on the Chinese bid to buy them. The Overseas Investment Office has made its recommendation on the Chinese bid to the Government - but there'll be no decision today on that from the Cabinet's first meeting of the year. The Shanghai Pengxin company wants to buy 16 farms. The Labour leader, David Shearer today visited one of the Crafar properties near Taupo, where Labour is holding a two day caucus retreat. He says farm sales to overseas interests may have been approved in the past, but the time has come to draw a line in the sand.David Shearer symbolically placed a small New Zealand flag on the farm, which the local Pahautea Lands Trust wants to buy. The Trust is part of a rival bid for the farms, the Crafar Farms Purchase Group, which is threatening to seek a judicial review if the sale to Shanghai Pengxin is approved. Nigel Baker from the Trust says it would be ignorant and arrogant of the Government to sign off on the sale. Our political reporter, Julian Robins, is in Taupo for the Labour Party caucus meeting and he joins us now. Q&A
The first Cabinet meeting of the year has been held this afternoon. Our political editor Brent Edwards joins us now. Q&A
The German mogul at the centre of one of the world's biggest internet piracy prosecutions will stay behind bars, with a judge ruling there is a real risk he might flee the country. Outside the court today, Kim Dotcom's lawyer, Paul Davison QC, said his client is disappointed and is appealing the decision. Georgina Ball has been at the North Shore District Court, where Mr Dotcom appeared this morning and joins us now. Q&A
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH
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Bret McKenzie from the Flight of the Conchords got the wake-up call many spend a life-time dreaming of when he found out early this morning he'd been nominated for an Oscar. The list of nominees was announced in LA today. His song Man or Muppet from the film The Muppets is up for best original song. And as Bret McKenzie explains the award nod doesn't come as a complete surprise. PREREC
Dozens of people are feared buried in a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea's mountainous highlands region. With the latest is the ABC's Papua New Guinea correspondent Liam Fox. LIVE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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President Obama has set the stage for his re-election run today using his third state of the union speech to make the case for his economic leadership. In the nationally televised address, he laid out his vision for a fair economy and took the chance to attack tax inequality. Mr Obama said the US economy is on the mend and had this warning for his conservative opponents. Joining us now is our correspondent in Washington Simon Marks. LIVE
An appeal has been lodged in the High Court to stop the name of an elderly man charged with a 32-year-old cold-case killing from being published. The 71 year old is charged with the murder of Rodney Tahu in Turangi in 1979 and he appeared in the Rotorua District Court this morning. Our reporter Lorna Perry was there. PREREC Q&A
The Chief Executive of the Wairoa District Council says he's turned down pay rises for the last two years because of the economic pressure his community is under. This follows the revelation that the Chief Executive of the Kapiti Coast District Council has had a pay rise of 18 point 2 percent to 285 thousand dollars. And there've been public protests by some Christchurch ratepayers over the more than 14 percent pay rise for the council chief executive there, to 539 thousand dollars a year. William Ray reports. PKG
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
Ngā mihi mahana Susie, e te marea tēnā koutou katoa,
The Governor General, Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Matepārae, says it's a different feeling returning home to Ratana Pā as the head of state.
It's a hundred-and-39 years today since the birth of the founder of the Ratana church, Tahu Pōtiki Wiremu Ratana.
The Governor General who's part of the movement, was among hundreds who attended Ratana celebrations today on a marae near Whanganui.
He told Te Manukorihi it's unusual to receive an official welcome, at a place where he spent time growing up.
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The Governor General, Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Matepārae.
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Ngāpuhi's Chief Executive says an exhibition of art which opens in Kaikohe tonight, marks the start of the iwi's annual festival, which celebrates the culture and pride of the largest tribe in New Zealand.
George Riley says the exhibition of art's always top class, but this year's is something special.
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George Riley says the iwi plans to set up an on-going relationship with the museums about some of historical items they hold.
He says many are of benefit to Ngāpuhi people, in terms of their cultural identity and self-worth.
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The Forestry Industry Engineering Association says there're opportunities for Māori to become direct owners of forestry businesses.
The association's holding a Future Forestry Finance Conference in March, and is encouraging greater Māori Trust participation in the financial side of the forestry industry.
Its Director John Stulen, says Māori are well represented among workers in the industry.
But he says Māori trusts and iwi tend to play a passive role, while others control the outcomes of when logs or timber are marketed.
Mr Stulen wants to see more Māori become owners of the businesses that'll be created as more trees are harvested.
He says as forest crops come up for contract on Māori owned land, iwi should be looking for more opportunities to be in direct control, rather than just being workers and managers.
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The Historic Places Trust's agreed to double the size of a wāhi tapu site at Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast.
The Trust's Kaihautū, Te Kenehi Teira, says extending the boundary of the sacred site reflects its historical and cultural significance.
He says it also rectifies an error made when the original site was registered in the 1990s.
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Te Kenehi Teira says the new wāhi tapu site extends the story of the Te Āti Awa iwi and its relationship with Whanganui.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a final bulletin in an hour.
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Heavy rain has been creating chaos in south-east Queensland. The deluge has caused flash flooding, landslips, hundreds of road closures and evacuations across Brisbane and the Gold and Sunshine coasts. With the latest is the ABC's Maria Hatzakis (hat-ZAK-uhs) in Brisbane. LIVE
A simmering feud between Iraq and its powerful neighbour Turkey has erupted into a bitter war of words between the country's prime ministers with the Turkish leader issuing a blunt warning that he won't stand by and allow Nouri al-Maliki to lead Iraq into a sectarian civil war. It came as four car bombs in Shiite areas of Baghdad, killed at least 13 people and injured more than 75. The ABC's Middle East Editor Peter Cave reports. PKG
To the Australian Open in Melbourne now where the players are battling it out for a semi-final spot. Our tennis correspondent Dave Luddy is courtside and he joins us now. LIVE