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 TUESDAY 19 AUG 2014
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The Prime Minister has changed tack on Judith Collins, now saying she was unwise to pass on a public servant's personal details to a rightwing blogger. This follows the Deputy Prime Minister Bill English earlier today, when asked about Ms Collins' actions, saying " I wouldn't do it, I wasn't involved in any of it'. Up until today John Key was describing the actions detailed in the Nicky Hager book Dirty Politics as 'gossip'. Now another email shows the Justice Minister gave Whale Oil blogger Cameron Slater the phone numbers of public servant Simon Pleasants, who she believed was behind a leak to the Labour Party. But Mr Key says he won't retrospectively take action for something that happened five years ago. CUT Bill English is also distancing himself from the attack politics outlined in the book. The public servant named by Judith Collins and targeted on Cameron Slater's blog was wrongly accused of priming Labour to ask questions about Mr English double dipping on his accommodation allowance. Mr English says he knew nothing about the revenge attack. CUT
With us now is our Political Editor Brent Edwards i/v
The Tauranga man accused of trying to hire a hitman to kill his parents has been found guilty in a speedy verdict this afternoon. The 43 year old was caught by a sting last October when an undercover Police officer posed as a hitman. The Crown lawyer, Hayley Sheridan, in her closing address said Barlow was only stymied because he couldn't scrape together the deposit on the 20 thousand dollar hitman fee. CUT But Barlow's lawyer, Craig Tuck, said while there was plenty of bad feeling in the family, there wasn't sufficient intention to hire a hitman. CUT After the verdict, the Detective in charge of the case Logan Nicholas thanked Daniel Ryder who went to the police after Barlow contacted him asking for his parents to be 'sorted'. CUT Daniel Ryder agrees the verdict is a good result. CUT Our reporter Natalie Mankelow has been at the High Court in Rotorua. i/v
Police have fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesters in Ferguson, Missouri after days of unrest sparked by the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager Malcolm Brown. The police action came after hours of street protests, described as 'tense' but mostly peaceful. Meanwhile troops from the National Guard have been deployed to Ferguson and a Federal Investigation has been launched. President Barak Obama says everyone needs to take a deep breath CUT Willis Arnold, is a reporter with St Louis Public Radio i/v
The slim budget surplus has gotten even thinner, thanks to tumbling commodity prices. Treasury is picking the economy will grow about 2 point 8 percent on average over the next four years, driven by the rebuilding of Christchurch, rising immigration and historically high commodity prices. But slumping dairy and log prices, due to weaker demand from China, will weaken growth more than previously expected. That in turn will reduce the tax take and size of future surpluses. Our economics correspondent, Patrick O'Meara, has been poring over the figures .... i/v
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17.30 HEADLINES
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17.35 MARKET UPDATE
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Evidence that a gunman went on an hour-long crime spree, targeting tourists has been detailed at at the High Court in Auckland . John Koteka has denied 12 charges including aggravated robbery and assault. The Crown says he pointed a gun at a tour bus operator in the Winter Gardens, demanding cash. Then less than an hour later a group of tourists were held up at gunpoint on the summit of Mt Eden. The Crown prosecutor Warren Cathcart said Mr Koteka fired five warning shots into the ground when the tourists refused to back-off. Our reporter Edward Gay has been in court . i/v
Some mayors are getting pay rises of up to 4 percent this year, while others are trading cash in the hand for a company car. The public body which sets pay rates for politicians and other elected officials has decided how much our mayors and councillors will be paid in the coming year. Our reporter Ryan Bridge has obtained the details. i/v
Bill English is still on track to get his budget surplus by June next year but it's shrunk by 75 million to just under 300 million dollars. The Treasury's new figures show economic growth will peak at 3 point 8 percent in the March 2015 year, compared with 4 percent it was predicting in May's budget. It's forecasting unemployment at 5.6 percent, slightly worse than it thought three months ago. Mr English agrees given its size the expected surplus is largely symbolic. i/v
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Maori education proponents say a new curriculum for teaching Te Reo in Kura Kaupapa or Maori language immersion schools, is long overdue.
The plan, which focuses on delivering more cultural and spiritual elements into a child's learning, has been endorsed by the government.
From Te Manu Korihi news, Nick Butcher reports.
MAORI-EDU-PKG
IN THE LAUNCH WAS
OUT THIS IS NICK BUTCHER
DUR 2:41
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Across the Tasman now, where the Government is promising that by the end of the year no child aged under 10 will be in immigration detention within Australia - but offshore it's another story. About 150 children and their families held in asylum seeker detention are to be released under new bridging visas. But 148 children on Christmas Island and 193 children on Nauru will not be freed. The Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says his Government is able to make the change because it's staunched the flow of boatpeople. CUT Mr Morrison says releasing children from offshore detention would revive the people smuggling business. CUT The political correspondent for ABC News Online Emma Griffiths is with us now. i/v
The Director of the Waikato Museum has denied victimising an employee who ended up taking his own life. Raymond Mayes, who was 55 died in June last year within view of the museum, sparking allegations from his wife that he was a victim of workplace bullying. His inquest in the Hamilton Coroners Court ended a shortime ago. Our Waikato Reporter, Andrew McRae was there. PKG
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Presenter: Mary Wilson, Jim Mora
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Jo Leavesley, Mei Yeoh, Sharon Brettkelly