Checkpoint FOR WEDNESDAY 24 OCTOBER 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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A judge has thrown out serious charges against 21 Nelson gang members because the police faked the arrest and prosecution of an undercover officer. In his ruling today, Justice France says the police have committed fraud on the courts, and may even have committed crimes themselves - but he adds it's up to other authorities to decide if charges should be laid. The undercover officer had infiltrated the Red Devils motorcycle gang but they were suspicious of him so the police orchestrated his arrest in May 2010 to build up his credibility. The police have refused to talk to Checkpoint today, instead issuing a one line statement saying they're studying the judgment and will be taking advice. The Police Minister Anne Tolley says she has confidence in the police. CUT In his ruling, Justice France says the police thought they had the sanction of the Chief District Court Judge after their National Manager of Criminal Investigations went to see him. But he says what they told the judge was wholly inadequate. The current chief district court judge refused to comment to Checkpoint today. The ruling shows the police told the High Court they had a manual outlining how they should get permission from the Chief Judge for an under-cover agent to appear in court under a false name. The manual said past experience showed the Chief Judge supported such requests - but later it was revealed that part of the manual was written after the police approached the Chief Judge in the Red Devils case.
Steve Rollo is one of two lawyers representing seven Red Devils. V
The President of the Criminal Bar Association, Auckland barrister Tony Bouchier, worked as an undercover police officer in the late 1970s.He's with us now. IV
Parliament has been told about two new breaches of client privacy at the Ministry of Social Development. But the Minister Paula Bennett insists they're a result of human error and not a case of systemic failure. A woman who went to Work and Income for a food grant says when she received her documents; details of other clients were included. Here’s our parliamentary chief reporter, Jane Patterson. PKG
An urgent inquiry has found the Air Force forgot to put an extra pin into oxygen canisters to ensure they wouldn't catch fire, and mislabelled them so they were allowed on board a passenger flight. The Air Force admitted last week to putting the canisters on an Air New Zealand flight to Canada in 2009.The canisters are similar to ones which set fire to a US jet in 1996, killing 110 people. The Civil Aviation Authority is conducting the first proper inquiry into what went on - Defence did its own investigation three years ago but didn't tell anyone else about it. The chief executive of the CAA is Graeme Harris. IV
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Kate Gudsell
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New Zealand's largest energy network company is fighting a Commerce Commission finding that it is overcharging customers for delivering natural gas to their homes and factories. It has already mounted a court challenge against the commission on an almost identical price control process for electricity wires. Eric Frykberg reports. PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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Thousands of state houses are standing empty for months and even years while thousands of desperate families languish on the waiting list. Figures obtained by Radio New Zealand under the Official Information Act show that in some of the most deprived neighbourhoods, up to a quarter of Housing New Zealand properties are vacant. Ruth Hill reports. PKG
Police in New South Wales have raided the home and electoral office of the embattled MP Craig Thomson, who is accused of spending thousands of dollars of union funds on hospitality and prostitutes. The allegations stem from his time as national secretary of the Health Services Union. Speaking to media after the search warrant was carried out early this morning, Mr Thomson said he doesn't expect to face charges and he'd co-operated with the police. CUT But his lawyer, Chris McArdle wasn't so happy with the police. CUT With the latest now is Phil Coorey - the chief political correspondent with the Sydney Morning Herald. IV
While President Obama may have delivered the more aggressive performance in yesterday's final debate, Republicans are buoyed by signs their candidate appears to have the momentum in what's become a very tight race for the White House. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are now criss-crossing the country delivering their speeches in key states like Ohio and Nevada. The ABC's Kim Landers reports from the US: PKG.
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
Tēnā koutou katoa,
The Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board has started its national campaign to talk to its supporters about a report that's suggested the Crown say sorry to Māori pre-schools.
The trust is meeting with its whanaunga following the release of the Waitangi Tribunal report on Kōhanga Reo last week.
Among its recommendations, it suggests the government should apologise for severe prejudice suffered by kōhanga through early childhood policies of successive governments.
The co-chairperson of the Kōhanga Trust Board, Tina Olsen-Ratana, says the round of hui began in Porirua yesterday - and today members have been talking to whānau in Hawke's Bay.
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Tina Olsen-Ratana.
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An economic consultant says the Government's share offer to yet-to-settle iwi has some merit - as well as risk.
The Crown is making it easy for tribes to buy stakes in state owned assets that are due to be partially privatised - including hydro power generators.
The shares would be part of their final Treaty package, but tribes would be able to get their hands on the shares before they settle.
A partner at Price Waterhouse Coopers, Hamiora Bowkett, likes the idea of on-account payment.
He says if an iwi's settlement process isn't complete - tribes won't miss out on getting involved in the share float.
But Mr Bowkett says like any investment, Māori have to able to tolerate the risks of shares going up and down - and ensure any investment fits in with their strategy.
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A Bay of Plenty iwi representative is being sought to sit on a committee that will distribute a one million dollar donation given to the community from the charterer of the container ship Rena.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company, announced it would donate a million dollars towards the clean-up almost two weeks after the ship ran aground.
But the distribution of the money was delayed until a settlement was reached between the Government and the ship's owner, Daina Shipping Company.
A group of local leaders, which includes local Mayors and a representative of the shipping company, has been put together to consider applications for funding.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company Rena Recovery Fund's chair, Peter Trapski, says iwi input is needed and a representative is being sought prior to the first official meeting.
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An international environmental organisation says an exhibition about the Kermadec Islands and an expedition to Rapanui or Easter Island reiterates the importance of caring for the Pacific Ocean.
Kermadec - Nine Artists in the South Pacific recently opened at the Wellington City Gallery a month after two double hulled canoes set sail for Rapanui, retracing the ancient journeys of Polynesian ancestors.
The PEW Environment Group Director, Bronwen Golder - who took the exhibition to Easter Island earlier this year - says travelling to both islands highlighted the need to protect the ocean.
RAPANUI KERMADEC TP
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Bronwen Golder.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a further bulletin in an hour.
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Business New Zealand has suggested that extending paid parental leave will discourage employers hiring women and that their skills deteriorate when off work for a long time. A parliamentary select committee is considering Labour MP, Sue Moroney's bill to extend the scheme from 14 to 26 weeks. Business New Zealand's submission today has astounded Ms Moroney, who says it reflects attitudes from a bygone era. Here’s our political reporter, Liz Banas. PKG
The Whangārei man who's been patrolling local rivers has delivered an ultimatum over a farmer he says refuses to keep his cows out of the water. Millan Ruka has told the regional council if it doesn't take action by next Monday - he will post graphic photos of the mess on the internet. Lois Williams reports: PKG
The shooting of thirty-four striking workers by South African police at the Marikana platinum mine continues to cause reverberations more than two months after the killings. One of the world's biggest gold miners has today announced that its sacking thousands of miners who've stayed away from work. And at the public inquiry into the shootings there's been an apology after television news footage of the moment the police opened fire was shown without warning. Here's Grant Ferrett from the BBC's Africa desk: PKG