Checkpoint FOR MONDAY 15 OCT 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The Ministry of Social Development is calling in an independent expert to investigate a security breach that allowed thousands of files to be downloaded at its self-service kiosks. The freelance journalist Keith Ng (ING) got hold of large amounts of sensitive information which he's turned over to the Privacy Commissioner. It includes full names of children in state care, lawyers' invoices that reveal the nature of the case and names, and medical invoices saying what the treatment was for. The Prime Minister, John Key, says the Government is taking the breach very seriously. CUT We expect to hear from the Minister of Social Development shortly. SD says a private company Dimension Data tested the security of its self-service kiosks and reported there were no problems. Dimension Data refused our request for an interview, saying in a statement that its specialists conduct targeted tests and it's then up to the client what they do with the findings, which are confidential. We’re joined now by the chief executive of MSD Brendan Boyle. LIVE
The Government is going ahead with its plan to partially sell Mighty River Power next year after dismissing a Waitangi Tribunal recommendation it provide special rights to Māori. The Cabinet will sign an order in council next week removing the company from the State-owned Enterprises Act to pave the way for the sale of shares in March to June. The Prime Minister has told his post-Cabinet news conference that consultation with Māori over the Government's asset sales programme has not changed its mind. CUT The Finance Minister, Bill English, says part of the reason for rushing the process now is to bring on any potential legal action from Māori opposed to the partial asset sales programme. CUT Our political editor Brent Edwards was at the news conference and joins me now. LIVE
A nurse who gave a critically ill patient the wrong drugs and then took two days to admit her mistake now faces disciplinary action and could be told she can no longer practice. The Health and Disability Commissioner has investigated the case which happened two years ago at an unnamed hospital. The man died just two hours after the mistake. Antony Hill says the woman was sacked but he's referred her to the Director of Proceedings who will decide if there'll be further action. Mr Hill says the patient who had cancer and had suffered a heart attack was given the wrong drugs because the nurse accidentally attached his medication sheet to another patient's file. She then over-rode the system on the automated dispensing machine which showed the correct list of medicines. PRE REC
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Jonathan Mitchell
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Auckland commuters can expect further disruptions as bus drivers today voted to take more industrial action. Two unions have been negotiating a new pay offer with the city's largest bus company, NZ Bus, since July. They agreed on two deals in the past month, but both have been rejected by the drivers. Buses were off the road for several hours today, as about 700 drivers had a stop work meeting to discuss their next move. Bridget Mills spoke to them as they left the meeting this afternoon after the vote. PACKAGE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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The Government is pressing ahead with selling part of Mighty River Power next year and without offering Māori any special shareholding. Today the Cabinet rubberstamped the sale of up to 49-percent of the state-owned company between March and June. The Prime Minister John Key says a round of consultation hui with Māori have not changed the Government's view that under common law, no-one owns the water, but it does recognise Māori rights and interests. Sir Edward Durie, the co-chair of the Māori Council and a principal adviser on water issues to the Māori King, joins us now LIVE
CUT That's the sky diver Felix Baumgartner saying never again, after becoming the first person to break the speed of sound in a jump that could have killed him. The 43 year old Austrian skydived from a balloon 39 kilometres above the New Mexico desert - but despite a perfect start, he quickly found himself in a dangerous spin. CUT He's become the first person to break the speed of sound without being in a machine, as well as breaking the record for the fastest ever free-fall, but as the ABC's Craig McMurtrie explains it could have gone very wrong. PRE REC
The Government is boosting war pensions and support services for veterans. It will spend an extra 60 million dollars on these over the next five years. The Prime Minister, made the announcement at the RSA National Council in Wellington this evening. Our political reporter, Clare Pasley, has more. LIVE
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
Tēnā koutou katoa, good evening,
The Waiariki MP, Te Ururoa Flavell, is questioning why the Independent Police Conduct Authority still hasn't released its report on the police raid in Ruātoki - five years to the day.
The raids were carried out in several places including the eastern Bay of Plenty settlement of Ruātoki, Auckland and Wellington.
Te Ururoa Flavell says he's lost for words as to why the Independent Police Conduct Authority still hasn't publicised a report about the raids, which was investigated by Justice Goddard.
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The Waiariki MP, Te Ururoa Flavell.
The Independent Police Conduct Authority says it's considering several issues before the reports released - including legal appeals by those convicted following the raids.
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The two Māori trusts which have applied to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal the sale of 16 North Island farms to a Chinese owned company, are willing to consider withdrawing court action.
The Tiroa E and Te Hape B Trusts which are part of the South Waikato iwi, Ngāti Rereahu, were members of a farming consortium led by Sir Michael Fay, which lost a court battle against the Government allowing Shanghai Pengxin to buy the farms, formerly owned by the Crafar family .
Hardie Peni who chairs the trusts says they've been fighting for some time to take ownership of two King Country farms, which contain tapu or sacred sites.
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Hardie Peni.
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Meanwhile, a Shanghai Pengxin spokesperson, Cedric Allen, says the company's happy to have more talks with the iwi at any time about the sale of the two farms near Benneydale.
He says there've already been some discussions but nothing was resolved.
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The Ngāpuhi Rūnanga sub-committee which was given a mandate in September last year to represent the Northland iwi in treaty negotiations, will re-consider a Government initiated report which suggests ways of resolving the iwi's internal disputes.
76 per cent of those who took part in a poll last year gave the subcommittee Tūhoronuku permission to represent them in treaty talks with the Crown, but some hapū continue to argue that it doesn't have their support.
The Treaty Negotiations Minister - who doesn't recognise the mandate - commissioned a mediator Tukoroirangi Morgan to come up with a strategy and a pathway forward.
Ngāpuhi Rūnanga Chairman, Sonny Tau, described the report as amateurish and an insult to the iwi.
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A master weaver says kiwi feathers brought into the country through a new programme will be in high demand amongst her fellow craftspeople.
The feathers are being collected from malting kiwi at several US zoos, so the Department of Conservation can distribute them amongst Māori weavers.
Christina Wirihana, the chairperson of the National Weavers Committee, Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa, says the feathers are difficult to get in New Zealand. .
She says making cloaks, or korowai, with them holds a great deal of mana.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a further bulletin in an hour.
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Finding the remains of his mates' bodies, and having a memorial to them, is now the goal for the last surviving coast watcher. Official tribute was today paid, for the first time to the coast watchers who served overseas in the second world war, including the 17 who were beheaded by Japanese troops on Kiribati on this day, 70 years ago. Megan Whelan filed this report. PACKAGE
The former king of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk (see-a-nook) who was known as the God King of the Nation has died in China at the age of eighty-nine. He was ousted in a coup, became a leader in exile and served as both President and Prime Minister of Cambodia before being re-installed as king in 1993.He was regarded as one of the most influential men in South East Asia as Zoe Daniel reports : WW