Checkpoint FOR TUESDAY 3 APRIL 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The family of a teenager mistakenly shot dead by the armed offenders squad, and a man badly injured by them, are both moving to take legal action against the police. Both say they've never had an official apology from the police. And the lawyer for the injured man, Richard Neville, says investigators did not even interview him for the Independent Police Conduct Authority's report that came out today. The IPCA's found that two AOS officers were justified in firing at a fleeing gunman on Auckland's North-Western motorway in 2009, but that there were big problems with the operation. The mother of Halatau Naitoko, who was 17 when he was shot dead by a squad member identified only as officer 84, gave a media conference earlier today. Ivoni Fuimaono says she's written to officer 84 asking to meet him but hasn't heard back. CUT And we'll hear more from her shortly. The IPCA's report says the overall police operation to tackle gunman Stephen McDonald lacked effective command and control. It says an early chance to stop McDonald in New Lynn, before he got on the motorway, was missed because police communications didn't know which officers were where. Like the coroner in a report last year, the Authority raises questions about the depth and degree of police weapons training including their 'shoot, don't shoot' decision making. Assistant Commissioner Alan Boreham is defending the officers. PREREC
As we heard earlier Halatau Naitoko's mother wants to meet the officer who shot her son. I asked Ivoni Fuimaono why that's so important. PREREC
The Labour MPs accused of defamation by Judith Collins are goading the ACC minister, saying she is thin skinned and her threatened legal action is a sideshow. Ms Collins is yet to follow through on her threat to initiate defamation proceedings against Trevor Mallard, Andrew Little and Radio New Zealand. Here's our political reporter, Julian Robins. PKG
The family of a woman who was burnt to death by her husband says his long prison sentence means nothing to them. Diwesh Sharma will spend at least 14 and a half years behind bars after pouring fuel over his wife Ranjeeta and setting her alight beside a country road near Huntly in January last year. Their four-year-old son was in the car when the murder took place. At the sentencing today at the High Court in Hamilton Justice Pamela Andrews said she took into account the particular cruelty of the killing. CUT Justice Pamela Andrews Ranjeeta Sharma's uncle Dr Rohit Kishore (Keeshore) lives in Fiji where he looks after Ranjeeta's grief stricken mother. I spoke to him about the prison sentence. PREREC
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Naomi Mitchell
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The Labour Party has accused the Prime Minister of having a conflict of interest after John Key confirmed today he chaired the Cabinet committee which appointed his electorate chairperson to the New Zealand On Air board. Labour's communications and IT spokesperson, Clare Curran, says Mr Key's disclosure raises new questions about Stephen McElrea's appointment to the board. Here's our political editor Brent Edwards. PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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A gunman who killed seven people at a Christian college in California has been identified as One Goh, a 43 year old Korean who's been living in the United States.
Ten people were shot during the rampage at Oikos University, and five were pronounced dead at the scene. The private college offers courses in nursing, theology and music, and the suspect is believed to be a student. Oakland police chief Howard Jordan says they were called in at about half past ten. CUT And he told reporters armed officers then swarmed the university. CUT The police described the scene as very bloody. The city's mayor Jean Quan (kwan) says the whole community will be asking questions about the shooting - including the availability of guns. CUT
Our reporter in Oakland is Rachel Silverman. PREREC
The Department of Labour has been accused at the Pike River Royal Commission of ignoring the lessons of the disaster by refusing to bring check inspectors back into mines. The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says it recommended this as long ago as 2002 and again in 2008, and the department's own advice said likewise. (PLEASE KEEP 2008 FIG AS HE REFERS TO THIS IN CUT) The union's lawyer Nigel Hampton QC, then turned to speak directly to the bereaved families sitting at the back of the hearings room. CUT The department is recommending workers have more say over mine safety But the EPMU says this falls well short of the sort of worker appointed check inspectors used in Australia. And Nigel Hampton, said through its inaction, the Department has forfeited its right to oversee health and safety and should turn the job over to another agency. Outside the hearing, a spokesman for some of the families, Bernie Monk, said the fact the department's inaction may have contributed to the men's deaths, is hard to take. CUT Our reporter, Conan Young is covering the inquiry and joins me now from Greymouth. LIVE
The police are facing legal action on two fronts after the release today of an investigation of how the armed offenders squad shot two people by mistake, killing one. The Independent Police Conduct Authority's found that two AOS officers were justified in firing at a fleeing gunman on Auckland's North-Western motorway in 2009, but that police also made mistakes. Halatau Naitoko, who was 17, was shot dead by a squad member identified only as officer 84. His family's lawyer, Colin Pidgeon QC, says the IPCA report shows up problems with officer 84's actions, with the lack of communication and poor leadership, that contributed to Halatau Naitoko's death. CUT
The IPCA also raises questions about the depth and degree of police weapons training including their 'shoot, don't shoot' decision making. The Halatau family say they've never had an official apology from the police. So too the lawyer for the man shot and badly injured by officer 84, Richard Neville. His lawyer Nicholas Taylor joins us now. LIVE
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
Tēnā koutou katoa, good evening,
The new chairperson of the Waikato-Tainui executive, Tom Roa, is vowing to stamp out tribal infighting - saying it's not the way forward.
Over the past couple of years disagreements between the executive and the parliament have played out in public.
In 2010, the Maori King sacked the head of the parliament, Tania Martin, for criticising a Te Arataura report.
She was later reinstated after seeking an injunction from the High Court, and a bitter feud ensued between Ms Martin and the former chair of the executive, Tukoroirangi Morgan.
Tom Roa says both boards aim to work together to better the iwi.
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Tom Roa says Te Arataura has assured the tribal parliament that legal redress will be the absolute last resort.
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The East Coast people of Ngāti Porou and the many mourners at his tangi, laid to rest today Dr Hone Kaa at his whānau cemetery in Rangitukia in Te Tai Rāwhiti.
The Archdeacon of Tāmaki Makaurau died last week in hospital in Auckland.
He was 70-years old.
After lying at Hinepare Marae since Sunday night, a church service was held this morning, and then Dr Kaa was buried at Ōkaroro urupā just before midday surrounded by his whānau, hapū and iwi and others who paid him their final respects.
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Plans for a housing development on Māhia Peninsular in Hawke's Bay have been rejected.
Two independent commissioners have ruled against a proposal to develop a seven hectare coastal block into 35 residential sites and a campsite.
The development was proposed on Māori land owned by George Ormond, who says the whenua has been in his whānau since about 1884.
The commissioners acknowledged the plan has been a catalyst for divisions in the local community.
In their decision, they say the effect on the environment would be more than minor.
The proposal attracted 12-hundred submissions with almost 90 per cent of them opposed.
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A Tai Tokerau elder says the longer it rains this autumn - the better for the region's endangered eels.
Recent floods in the north, and continual rain since then have so far prevented the usual commercial and customary harvest of eels in the Wairua near Whangārei.
Hoori Tuhiwai, of Te Parawhau says the rain's a godsend at a time when eel numbers are dwindling - and fewer of the mature breeding eels are making it out of the swamps then out to sea.
He says he's only seen eight this season - and if it hadn't been so wet, the hapū would've imposed a rāhui on the harvest.
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Te Parawhau kaumātua, Hoori Tuhiwai.
The weather forecast in the north is for rain and showers until the Wednesday after Easter.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a further bulletin in an hour.
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Five Maori social service agencies are having their multi-million dollar Government contracts for (Family Start not Whanau Ora) axed because of inconsistent and in some cases, unsafe social work practices. The Ministry of Social Development says programmes run by the five are substandard and vulnerable families deserve better.
But the organisations argue they've made improvements, and the ministry's being too hasty. Ruth Hill reports. PKG
Ten hostages have walked free after being held captive in the Colombian jungle for more than 12 years. The group of police officers and soldiers were released by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better know as FARC. The ABC's Barney Porter has our report : PKG