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 4 JUNE 2014
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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A Christchurch mosque is at the centre of fresh claims about the past life of a suspected terrorist killed by a drone strike in Yemen last year. Australian Christopher Havard was killed alongside Daryl Jones, who had dual New Zealand-Australian nationality. The pair, who both converted to Islam in their twenties, met in New Zealand but it's not known whether they travelled to Yemen together or separately before their deaths last November. Mr Havard's parents, Neill and Bronwyn Dowrick, told the ABC that he became a Muslim in 2008 and encountered radical teachings when he moved to Christchurch. They say he was taught more than just the koran.
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The network obtained documents showing that both men were of interest to the Australian Federal Police because of their links to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The Minister Responsible for the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), John Key, is refusing to comment on the specific mosque involved, but had this to say this afternoon.
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We'll speak to the imam of the Christchurch mosque shortly, but first, we hear from the ABC reporter, Dylan Welch, who is the only journalist to have spoken with Mr Havard's parents.
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Hisham el Zeiny (Hesham el Zynee) was the imam at the Christchurch mosque when Christopher Havard was there. He's heard no radical talk or preaching there.
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The credibility of two senior politicians appears to be on the line after an extraordinary exchange in a Parliamentary select committee today. Labour MP Trevor Mallard asked the Education Minister, Hekia Parata, if she had ever hit a member of her staff, provoking a strong denial.
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Later, Mr Mallard asked for clarification.
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The Prime Minister, John Key is in Tonga, and he had this to say.
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Our education correspondent, John Gerritsen, was there.
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An independent report says councils should consider revising their town plans to give themselves the indisputable power to refuse applications for oil and gas sites, if they so choose. In her just-released final report on fracking, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Jan Wright, says the Government should provide a national planning document because the current rules are inadequate and vary widely without justification. Dr Wright makes six recommendations about how consenting for the industry could be improved, and the practise made safer. Our Environment Reporter, Olivia Allison has read the report and gauged reaction.
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS with Jenny Ruth
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Chinese police have swamped Beijing's Tiananmen Square on the 25th anniversary of the violent crackdown on unarmed pro-democracy demonstrators. The anniversary has never been publicly marked in mainland China and the Chinese government has never released a death toll, but estimates by human rights groups and witnesses range from several hundred to several thousand. The BBC's China correspondent is John Sudworth.
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17. 30 HEADLINES
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A sawmill company was not justified making almost 200 employees undergo drug testing after cannabis plants were found. When Carter Holt Harvey found the cannabis growing in the grounds of its Eves Valley Sawmill in Nelson it forced 190 employees to provide urine tests. Seventy six of those workers complained to the Employment Relations Authority and the EPMU. Today the Authority upheld those complaints. Carter Holt Harvey argued that it was justified doing widespread testing because it was reasonable to assume an employee planted the cannabis . But the authority disagreed. Carter Holt Harvey is not returning Checkpoint's calls. The EPMU's Director of Organising in the South Island is Alan Clarence.
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A doctor sent over 50 text messages to a patient and lied about test results as an excuse to meet up with her. The report by the Health and Disablilty Commission says the doctor texted her about abnormal blood results and that she should meet him in town to discuss it. There he admitted the blood test results were normal and gave his patient earrings and a note saying he couldn't wait to see her wear them. The young woman had just been discharged from mental health services where she was getting treatment for an eating disorder, depression and self harm. To help her gain back her independance, the mental health experts decided not to remain in contact with her. Despite being her GP for over 3-years and knowing all this information, he made a deliberate decision to give her his cellphone number and repeatedly contacted her over a two month period. The Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony (t not th) Hill says it was harrasment.
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Thailand's military government has ordered the night-time curfew to be lifted in some tourist areas, although it remains in place in the rest of the country. The military's also announced a three-stage plan to bring about reconciliation between the different political factions. However it says it won't tolerate any criticism of its rule, and has warned people that even showing symbols of dissent could result in arrest. But that hasn't stopped an anti-coup movement gaining momentum. And as Sophia Tran-Thompson reports from Bangkok, its symbol is a hand gesture straight out of Hollywood borrowed from the Hunger Games:
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17. 45 MANU KORIHI with Rosemary Rangitauira
Nga mihi o te po,
A deed of settlement which aims to compensate two Taranaki tribes for serious Crown breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi was initialled today.
A contingent of 80 people filed through parliament's doors to witness one of the final steps towards a Treaty settlement.
But as Eru Rerekura reports, the ceremony almost never went ahead.
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Tainui has taken full control of the company operating Novotel Tainui Hotel and Ibis Tainui Hotel in central Hamilton.
The tribe's commercial division - Tainui Group Holdings - has bought the remaining 17 per cent stake in the business from Accor - a-core which will continue to manage the hotels for a further 25 years.
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The Poverty Bay iwi, Rongowhakaata, has put a 15 million dollar price tag on the restoration and relocation of its beloved ancestral whare from the national museum.
The iwi wants a new facility to be built on Gisborne railway land to house the carved whare, when it is returned to the iwi from Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in 2017.
An iwi negotiator, Willie Te Aho, says the Crown has agreed to fund the moving costs and the establishment of a facility to house the iconic whare in its takiwa.
He says the iwi wants the Crown to give it the railway land and 15 million dollars to develop the facility.
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Willie Te Aho says says other key initiatives could be operated on the site including an event marking the 250th anniversary of the arrival of Captain Cook, in 2019.
that's te manu korihi news
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The Tongan Prime Minister has jumped on the All Black bandwagon, saying his country would also be keen to host a test match. Samoa pushed for an All Blacks' match there, when the Prime Minister John Key visited earlier this week Our parliamentary chief reporter, Jane Patterson, is in Nuku'alofa
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An investigation into why 1080 was dropped on two trampers in Marlborough Sounds reveals the track was supposed to be closed but Conservation staff kept it open to help out a tourist company. Last November Simon Caley and his wife were walking the Nydia Track when 1080 pellets started to fall around them. There were warning signs about a drop in the area but DOC staff has told the couple they would be fine. The department's own review shows that as part of the consent for the drop the medical officer of health ordered the track closed to the public. Mike Slater from DOC says staff had told the owners of "On the Track Lodge" the walk would be open so they wouldn't lose business.
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In the closing days of its case in the trial in London of Rolf Harris, his defence team has attempted to reverse the image portrayed so far of the Australian entertainer. A string of character witnesses told the court that the 84-year-old man was a warm tactile man whose approaches and hugs were never sexual or inappropriate. Their evidence in the sexual assault case came as Rolf Harris and his daughter were accused of lying under oath. Barbara Miller was in the court for the ABC :
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Presenter: Mary Wilson
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Mei Yeoh, Michael Allan