Checkpoint FOR THURSDAY 28 JUNE 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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A secret report, scathing of Mental Health services in the Hutt Valley has finally been released today. It shows services were disorganised, under-staffed, marked by relationship breakdowns and may have breached the Mental Health Act. The inquiry was ordered by the Director-General of Mental Health in 2010 following high-profile treatment blunders. Our Health Correspondent, Karen Brown, has the report and joins me now. LIVE
The National-led Government has relaxed its requirement for ACC to cut the number of long-term claimants - in the face of public criticism it's been forcing people off compensation. In a new agreement between ACC and its minister Judith Collins the corporation's target for getting people off long-term compensation has been drastically reduced. Our political editor Brent Edwards has been looking at the agreement and joins us now. LIVE
The defence lawyer Greg King has told a jury that the Crown's murder case against Ewen Macdonald is light on evidence and full of speculation. The Feilding farmer is before the High Court at Wellington charged with murdering his brother-in-law, Scott Guy, in July 2010.
Our Court reporter Ann Marie May is covering the trial. LIVE
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Anusha Bradley
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The High Court's delivered a blow to the case against internet multimillionaire Kim Dotcom.
The chief High Court judge has issued a ruling indicating New Zealand authorities have failed to properly carry out major aspects of the operation involving the Megaupload founder. The controversial entrepreneur is fighting his extradition to the United States for the world's biggest internet copyright case. Kim Dotcom's lawyers have either declined to speak with Checkpoint or haven't responded to our requests for an interview. Our reporter Bridget Mills has just looked that the findings. LIVE
A Hamilton women's refuge helping out a beleaguered sister group in Palmerston North is blaming stress and overwork for misspending on things like staff bonuses. The Māori Women's refuge in Palmerston North has had its funding stopped until it sorts out the financial mismanagement. An audit late last year revealed the group's payroll was bigger than its annual income of about 120 thousand dollars, it had made a 109-thousand dollar loss and that the three staff have been paid bonuses and annual leave they weren't entitled to.
Money had also been used to pay personal fines. Ruahine Albert is from the Māori Women's refuge in Hamilton - she got a call from the Palmerston North group two months ago asking for help. PREREC
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17.30 HEADLINES
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Firefighters in the United States are battling at least twenty-nine wild fires that are burning out of control in seven different states. Hundreds of houses have already been destroyed in Colorado Springs and more than thirty thousand people there have been told to leave their homes. Today, winds gusting up to 105-kilometres-an-hour pushed the fire over a ridge and sent it roaring towards the city as the ABC's Brendan Trembath explains: PKG
The Prime Minister says one of his ministers was wrong to say Christchurch people living in cars should squat in abandoned homes to survive the winter. But the Māori Affairs minister, Pita Sharples, says even though he now wants to apologise for the comment, as co-leader of the Māori Party he meant every word. Marcus Irvine reports. PKG
More now on the highly critical report on mental health services in the Hutt Valley, which outlines disorganised services and understaffing - and possible breaches of the law.
The formerly secret report - ordered by the Director General of Mental Health in 2010 - includes disturbing details, including how two staff at the Te Whare Ahuru inpatient unit failed to record a patient setting fire to herself. With us now, the chief executive of the Hutt Valley District Health Board, Graham Dyer. LIVE
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
A North Island hapū is preparing to ask the Supreme Court to rule that a riverbed belongs to the sub-tribe.
The Court has overruled previous judicial decisions and cleared the way for the hapu to try to claim ownership of a section of the Waikato River bed.
The Pouakani hapu has claimed an interest in part of the riverbed beside land which was purchased by the Crown in the late 19th century.
The High Court and Court of Appeal had ruled the riverbed was transferred to the Crown under the Coal Mines Amendment Act in 1903.
But the Supreme Court says that was not the case - leaving the riverbeds ownership in question.
The hapū’s lawyer, Ian Millard QC, says they will now return to the Supreme Court to argue it should belong to them.
IN OUR ARGUMENT THERE IS...
OUT ...MIDPOINT OF THE RIVER
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Ian Millard QC says he is pleased with today's outcome.
The Whānau Ora Minister, Tariana Turia, says there has been significant resistance from Government agencies to the Whānau Ora approach.
Mrs Turia has told a Parliamentary committee the main premise of Whānau Ora is to have mentors or co-ordinators work with families to help them empower themselves.
She told MPs Government agencies are used to focusing on individuals.
IN THEY'VE BECOME USED TO
OUT INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING
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Tariana Turia says that has made it hard to achieve success with some at-risk families, who have suffered years of drug, alcohol and family violence issues.
A recent study of older people in Hawke's Bay suggests elderly Māori are five times more likely to be at risk of accidental injury.
The report, commissioned by the District Health Board in April last year, shows more than half of the region's elderly who are on their own are at risk of having accidents at home - which could lead to them needing hospital treatment.
Māori over 65-years old are five times more likely to be in the at-risk group.
The report also reveals some health service providers wrongly assume that older Māori are being taken care of by their whānau, when this is increasingly not the case.
Tamariki from thirty-two kura descended on a west Auckland stadium today to play the ancient Māori ball game of Ki o Rahi.
The inter-school competition at Trusts Stadium drew pupils from throughout the city.
Ki O Rahi is played on a circular field - and involves throwing a ball at posts to score points.
Glenfield Intermediate teacher Ana Hokopaura and her pupils say it's a fun, fast moving game.
IN THERE'S UM A LOT...
OUT...AND HORIZONTAL HAHA
DUR 24
Ana Hokopaura and her some of her Ki o Rahi team.
and that's Te Manu Korihi for the moment.
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A last-minute letter of remorse has failed to stop a former Waikato bank manager being sent to jail after being convicted on 81 charges of fraud, dishonesty and theft. 36 year old Susan Bourton will spend at least three-and-a-half years in prison. Her offending spanned nearly ten years and amounted to about one-point-four million dollars. One of Bourton's victims was Lorraine Gould, who with her partner nearly lost their home, after Bourton stole about 750-thousand dollars from them in various scams. CUT Our Waikato reporter, Andrew McRae was at today's sentencing and joins me now LIVE
Australia's senate is in the midst of an emotional debate about the off-shore processing of asylum seekers, it comes after the recent fatal boat capsizing north of Christmas Island.
The divisive bill, which was passed by the lower house last night, would let the government to send asylum seekers to places like Malaysia and Nauru for processing. However, it appears to be headed for defeat in the Senate. More now from Alexandra Kirk in Canberra :
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