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 MONDAY 26 MAY 2014
****************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
****************************
TV3 has been banned from filming or broadcasting footage from the John Banks trial for a serious breach of media guidelines. Justice Wylie said the news footage inside court appeared to show the politician picking something out of his ear and putting it in his mouth and was, on the face of it, designed to expose Mr Banks to ridicule. He heard from the broadcaster and its lawyer this afternoon then immediately gave his ruling.
CUT
At the trial this afternoon, the MP's wife Amanda Banks said there had been no discussion of a donation when the couple met Kim Dotcom and his wife for lunch at the internet businessman's Coatesville Mansion. Our reporter Edward Gay has been at the High Court in Auckland.
I/V
The police say they still have no idea what's happened to missing Auckland woman, Blessie Gotingco Ger-king-cor. The 56 year old left work in the city centre just before seven-o-clock on Saturday night but hasn't been seen by her family since then. Her shoes and mobile phone were later found a short distance from her house in Birkdale. A former neighbour of the family says they are really lovely down to earth people, with hearts of gold.
CUT
This man, who didn't want to be named, lives near Blessie Gotingco's home, and is so shaken about what's happened, he considered skipping work to stay home with his family.
CUT
Detective Senior Sergeant Stan Brown says police are not certain if she even boarded the bus, or what exactly has happened to her. He says they're currently looking for her watch and red rectangular glasses, which are also missing.
I/V.
An Otago Peninsula resident says the winter's first storm is the biggest she has ever seen there. Otago has borne the brunt of the snow and hailstorm, which has cut highways and power to thousands of people. It caused minor damage across the region, but for Queenstown's ski fields has been heaven sent. Here's our Otago reporter, Ian Telfer.
PKG
Far-right parties have seized ground in elections to the European parliament, in what France's Prime Minister is calling a "political earthquake". The Front National fron nash-an-arl is claiming victory in France and in Britain, the UK Independence Party which wants to pull the country out of the EU, is on course to do the same. In Denmark the anti-immigration Popular Party is also reported ahead in exit polls. The BBC's Marika Oi muh-REE-kuh OY reports:
PKG
***********************
1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS - Ryan Bridge
************************
A Fijian man forced to leave New Zealand while being treated for kidney failure has died, and his brother blamed the Immigration Department for his death. Sanil Kumar returned to Fiji in April with Immigration saying he could receive dialysis there while waiting to see if a family member was a match for a transplant. After being threatened with deportation, he chose to leave voluntarily so he could later get a visitors visa to get back here for treatment. The Immigration Minister, Nikki Kaye, refused to intervene on Mr Kumar's behalf. He died from an infection this morning. His brother, Ashneel Kumar, says Sanil himself had said he thought he would die if he wasn't allowed to stay in New Zealand.
I/V
***********************
17. 30 HEADLINES
***********************
In his first address since seizing power, Thailand's military leader has said he would have no choice but to use force if political protests flared up again. The military took power last Thursday to end six months of sometimes violent protests against the populist government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. But it has taken over with a heavy hand, detaining scores of people, most allied with Yingluck's government, throwing out the constitution, dissolving the Senate and censoring media. With us now from Bangkok is Financial Times correspondent, Michael Peel.
I/V
New Zealand First's leader, Winston Peters is accusing a South Auckland Maori trust that looks after disabled people of mis-spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money. Mr Peters has released documents including emails and letters that he says raises serious questions about the finances of Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust. The Trust got more than 13 million dollars in government funding last year. Mr Peters says the documents appear to show that a bakery company was paid two-thousand dollars to rewire a clothes-line and that another company was paid for a security system that doesn't exist. And he says a quarter of a million dollars was paid to two consultancy firms for advice in areas they don't appear to be qualified. One document written by a staff member talks about an HR consultant with a company called QSR - it says although the person was introduced as lawyer he is not and has no background in human resources.
I/V
No one from the Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust returned Checkpoint's calls. The Ministry of Health has refused to come on the programme. But in a statement, it says its Audit and Compliance Unit has reviewed the trust twice, this month and in March this year, and found no specific concerns about its financial practices. It says the audit showed the trust was financially viable in the short term though it must take steps to ensure it remains financially stable. The Ministry also found a lack of expertise at the board level. It says it has been monitoring the trust closely and it had already arranged to meet the board this Thursday to, in its words, escalate concerns and increase Ministry oversight to improve governance.
A prisoner who will lose her personal television set has told a judge the switch to a TV rental scheme is unfair especially to maximum security inmates like herself. The Corrections Department wants inmates to rent TVs rather than own their own, and that will be brought in later this year. Kerryn Mitchell is in an Auckland prison and appeared in the High Court at Wellington by video link today. Our Court reporter, Ann Marie May was at the hearing.
I/V
***************
17. 45 MANU KORIHI - Eru Rerekura
Kia ora mai good evening,
The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the way the government's dealt with Ngapuhi over its treaty claims, has pushed settlement further out of reach.
The Minister for Treaty Negotiation, Chris Finlayson says he now doesn't expect to reach a deal with Ngapuhi this year, because of divisions over the mandate to do so.
Mr Peters says from the moment the Ngapuhi runanga set about seeking a mandate, to manage the negotiations, it was opposed by the Hokianga hapu, and Ngati Hine.
You can hear hear more about the Ngapuhi settlement on Insight, tonight at 7-30.
--------
A Kaitaia doctor says Maori men who suffer from gout aren't getting the treatment they need from the state health system and are suffering severe consequences as a result.
A specialist researcher is warning the disease has reached epidemic proportions in New Zealand with Maori the worst affected.
Julie Harper says the rate of gout in Maori is two-and-half times higher than that of Pakeha, and about 15 per cent of Maori men suffer from it, compared to up to five percent of Pakeha males.
A Kaitaia doctor, Lance O'Sullivan, says the mainstream health system needs to engage more with Maori.
GOUT-LANCE-TP
IN: WE'RE STILL SEEING. . .
OUT: . . . LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGE.
DUR: 18"
Lance O'Sullivan says Maori need to be given stronger, more consistent messages about appropriate treatment.
--------
A law specialist believes a tribe's plan to positively discriminate - meaning employment opportunities for tangata whenua - could be defended in court.
Te Atiawa in Wellington is considering having some influence over the profile of people employed by a company who leases its land in Wainuiomata.
A partner at Kensington Swan Lawyers - Anthony Drake - says the starting point is the Human Rights Act, which doesn't allow employers to discriminate on the grounds of race and ethnicity.
But he says the iwi could argue it's creating special opportunities for it's people.
Mr Drake says 'affirmative action' is essentially positive discriminating in favour of individuals from a particular group, something used to boost Maori and Pasifika students in universities.
--------
The organisation behind a planned charter school in Waikato says the education concept will provide tamariki with wider learning opportunities than other school models.
Te Kohao Health, which is based at Kirikiriroa Marae in Hamilton is one of 19 organisations, five of which are Maori, that have applied to open new charter schools.
Its planned school, Nga Manu Kura will have a strong emphasis on the outdoors and the environment.
Te Kohao Health Managing Director, Tureiti Moxon says charter schools provides an opportunity to be creative and think outside-the-box.
CHARTER TUREITI TP
IN: SO WE ARE. . . .
OUT: . . . NINE TO THREE PEOPLE
DUR: 18"
Tureiti Moxon says she hopes to get approval for Nga Manu Kura next month and if so, the school will open next year.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have another bulletin in an hour.
****************
Residents in the Californian city of Santa Barbara are asking why authorities failed to pick up warning signs before a gunman killed six students at a small college. Elliot Rodger had posted videos online and had come to the attention of police more than once. The ABC's Jane Cowan reports from the United States:
PKG.
In a few hours millions of Egyptians will vote to elect a new president, almost a year after they turned on their last one. The former military chief General Abdel Fatah al-Sissi (see-see) is expected to win easily despite being almost absent from his own campaign. Hayden Cooper reports from Cairo:
PKG
Three children who were buying lollies from a Rotorua dairy were made to sit on the floor by armed robbers at the weekend, and told to be quiet. Detective John Hope says the one girl and two boys weren't injured, but were left shaken.
I/V
*******************
Presenter: Mary Wilson
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Mei Yeoh, Michael Allan