Checkpoint is a drive-time news and current affairs programme on Radio New Zealand National. It broadcasts nationwide every weekday evening for two hours and covers the day’s major national and international stories, as well as business, sport and Māori news. This recording covers the first hour. The following rundown is supplied from the broadcaster’s news system:
Checkpoint FOR WEDNESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2013
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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More than a hundred home owners in Christchurch's Port Hills have been told that someone could die in a major rain or snow storm because their quake-damaged properties are so unstable. A GNS report released this afternoon reveals that the biggest risk is from a deluge of rain on soil already loosened up by the earthquake at the 134 homes, all of which are near the sea in and around Redcliffs. But the city council insists the threat is not imminent and it has no plans to move anyone out . Tony Aldridge is renting elsewhere but planned to start rebuilding in Quarry Road, Mt Pleasant, in February - but has just learned that it's in the riskiest class one zone.
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The report, the first in a series on land stability ordered by the city council, talks of the risk of mass land movement. The Council's Mike Theelen (teelan) explains.
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Interislander's troubled ferry, Aratere, is being investigated again after a shaft snapped and a propeller fell off last night as it was crossing Cook Strait. The ship was forced to continue into Wellington harbour on a single engine and won't be sailing again until at least Sunday. (CCN Kiwirail now saying might have freight sailing within a week but no passengers sailing before xmas) It's the third time the Transport Accident Investigation Commission has scrutinised the ferry, and its chief investigator Tim Burfoot says this is very unusual.
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The Aratere had a 53 million dollar refurbishment in 2011, that included installing new propellers - since then it's had a string of failures including with its engines and radar. Kiwirail operates the Interislander - its chief executive is Jim Quinn.
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More people are finding work - with the latest figures showing the biggest improvement since before the recession. Unemployment is down slightly to 6 point 2 percent for the three months to September and 27 thousand more people managed to get jobs. But workers are finding it harder to get a pay rise, with wage growth at its slowest rate in three years. Our economics correspondent, Patrick O'Meara, has looked through the numbers.
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The Samoan community and rugby fans are shocked at the death of the former Manu Samoa rugby captain Peter Fatialofa, who died this morning at the age of 54. He was made a member of the New Zeland Order of Merit in 1996 for his services to rugby. And, as Radio New Zealand International's Vinnie Wylie reports, he is being remembered as a generous family man who loved his rugby.
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS with Sharon BrettKelly
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17. 30 HEADLINES
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Building suppliers are pouring cold water on the Government's proposals to lower the cost of cladding, plasterboard and cement, saying materials are not the main reason for unaffordable housing. The Government has promised to shake up the industry by simplifying compliance, reducing import tariffs and revealing kickbacks. Cushla Norman reports:
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To China, where several explosions have been heard outside a provincial headquarters for the ruling Communist party in the north of the country. The state news agency says one person has been killed and eight more injured. Metal ball bearings have been found at the scene, pointing to the bombs being homemade. The Telegraph's Tom Phillips is in China.
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After months of denials the Mayor of Canada's biggest city, Toronto, has admitted smoking crack cocaine while in office. He's made an emotional public apology, but is refusing to step down saying he's not a drug addict. Police say they now have a copy of a video which shows Rob Ford smoking from a crack pipe while making homophobic and racist slurs. The ABC's Jane Cowan reports :
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A marketing manager fighting her sacking from Otago University says it was made impossible for her to return. The Employment Relations Authority has been hearing a claim from Kerry Kirkland for more than 270-thousand dollars in compensation for unjustified dismissal earlier this year. A second day of evidence was heard today in Dunedin. Our Otago reporter, Ian Telfer, was there and is with me now.
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17. 45 MANU KORIHI with Rosemary Rangitauira
Kia ora ra,
No jobs will be lost as part of changes being made to Te Puni Kokiri.
The Government has announced a shake-up of the department, to ensure it leads the relationship between the Crown and Maori.
The Ministry of Maori Development will take a bigger role in providing strategic advice, leadership and guidance to ministers and the rest of the state sector.
A review of Te Puni Kokiri found that due to an increased workload, the agency's ability to build relationships with some
regions have weakened over time.
The Minister of Maori Affairs, Pita Sharples, says the workforce won't be cut, but neither - will it be boosted in the regions.
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Pita Sharples - the Maori Affairs Minister.
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The body that keeps lawyers in line has started hearing a case against the prominent Maori lawyer, Donna Hall.
The Law Society's Standards Committee has taken the case to the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal in Wellington.
Donna Hall is accused of negligence or incompetence in acting for more than one party in a land transaction in the Taupo region.
The Law Society said lawyers have a duty to avoid situations where they could potentially have divided loyalties between clients .
Donna Hall's lawyer said the seller and purchaser were well aware of Ms Hall's dual role, and were advised to seek independent legal advise - which they chose not to listen to.
The hearing continues tomorrow.
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The Maori Party says it's made no further gains in building links with the Mana Party.
Both movements held a presidential-level meeting last week to mend relations, which became fractured when the MP Hone Harawira left the Maori Party to set up and lead Mana.
The co-leader of the Maori Party, Te Ururoa Flavell, says there might be a face-to-face meeting for the political leaders in the future.
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Te Ururoa Flavell says the party presidents have started the discussion, and it's started on a good note.
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Te Ohu Kaimoana - the Maori Fisheries Trust - has appointed three new directors to its subsidiary, Aotearoa Fisheries Limited board.
They are Anthony Hannon, who has a background in banking and tax consultancy, and Ngati Porou iwi descendant, Liz Ward, who's based in Sydney and is currently the director of customer services at Australia's RailCorp.
While, the third new appointed board member, Alan Gourdie, will work on the board for a period of two years.
That's Te Manu Korihi news
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India has successfully launched its first mission to Mars and it's doing it with a spacecraft that's cost only a fraction of those used by wealthy countries like the United States. The voyage will take the best part of a year and its goal is to determine whether the Martian atmosphere is capable of sustaining life. National pride is also at stake, with India wanting to take the lead in an increasingly competitive space race with China. Michael Edwards filed this report from the launch in India :
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The Green Party MP Jan Logie and an Australian Greens senator are travelling to Sri Lanka this week, for what they call a fact finding mission in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Colombo. Canada's Prime Minister is boycotting this weekend's summit in protest over human rights abuses but John Key, who will be there, says it's more productive to engage with the country. Here's our parliamentary chief reporter, Jane Patterson.
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M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo have laid down their arms and admitted defeat . It ends a bloody eighteen month conflict that's killed thousands of people. At least 800-thousand have fled their homes since the M23 took up arms in 2012. The group surrendered after Congolese forces backed by United Nations troops recaptured rebel strongholds in the east of the country. Andrew Harding reports.
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Presenter: Mary Wilson
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Susie Ferguson, Mei Yeoh