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 07 OCTOBER 2014
****************************
1700 to 1707 NEWS
****************************
An Auckland man escaped jail at his sentencing today for the dog attack in which his two Rottweilers mauled a woman to death at his house. The man instead got a year's home detention and will never be allowed to own a dog again. He can't be named for legal reasons and nor can the woman who was killed in March last year. Her father wants to know how people can own such vicious and dangerous dogs. Kim Baker Wilson was at the sentencing at the North Shore District Court and is with us now. i/v
New Zealanders will know next month whether or not the country will join the US-led fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The Prime Minister says he is likely to get advice this week about what military support this country could offer. Here's our political reporter, Chris Bramwell. PKG
The Finance Minister Bill English has signalled that returning the books to surplus by June 2015 is under threat. The growing economy has helped narrow the operating deficit, which fell a third to 2 point 9 billion dollars for the year to June and is expected to keep shrinking. But Mr English won't say whether the 297-million dollar surplus forecast for this financial year is achievable following the sharp fall in dairy prices. CUT Our economics correspondent, Patrick O'Meara, joins us now i/v
Rescue teams are looking for a helicopter that's disappeared over Kahurangi National Park at the top of the South Island. The commercial pilot was flying from Karamea to Nelson when radar contact was lost. We're joined by Maritime New Zealand's Steve Rendle i/v
A boating club on Waiheke Island says a fire in which a person died last night was on a launch moored illegally. The police are investigating and haven't named the person killed. The boat's owner Craka (cracker) Walker, was injured and is in hospital. The Auckland Council admits having to tell some boat owners to move along, but says the nine-metre launch which caught fire, the Countes (pron Countess), has NOT been reported as a problem. But Waiheke Boating Club's publicity officer Steve Alloway says squatters use the public toilets and the club's power, and people are sick of it. i/v
Islamic State militants have entered the Syrian border town of Kobane (koh-barn-ee) and are engaged in street to street fighting with Kurdish defenders. Following the latest IS advance Turkish tanks have been moved to defend the border crossing with Syria. Kobane is just over a kilometre from the border and there are now real fears the town could fall. The BBC's Paul Adams reports PKG
Contaminated fresh vegetables have been linked to a rare stomach bug that has struck down more than 100 people. The Ministry for Primary Industries is investigating the outbreak of yersinia pseudo/tuberculosis, which causes stomach cramps and can present symptoms that mimic appendicitis. So far 101 cases have been confirmed across the country, with 38 people hospitalised. Dr Alistair Humphrey is the Canterbury District Health Board Medical Officer of Health. i/v
***********************
17.30 HEADLINES
***********************
**************************
17.35 MARKET UPDATE
**************************
The police in Temuka are investigating after a toddler was accidentally shot in the back of the head with an air rifle. The 17 month old is recovering in hospital. Canterbury Rural Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin. i/v
Most Aucklanders now have their power back on after the weekend's sub-station fire. However lines company Vector warns supply may fluctuate in the Orakei, St Heliers and Remuera suburbs during this evening's peak demand. Vector was not available to come on the programme. But stores at Auckland's Sylvia Park shopping mall, which were among the 85-thousand customers who lost power, say they're still having power-related problems - and losing trade as a result. Lauren Baker reports. PKG
More accusations have emerged today about a leading churchman in New Zealand sexually assaulting multiple boys. The Royal Commission of inquiry into instutitionalised abuse in Australia has heard how at least 50 pastors from the Assemblies of God church in this country, knew of the allegations against the late Frank Houston. Frank Houston founded an AOG church in Lower Hutt, before setting up another church in Sydney which later became the high-profile evangelical congregation Hillsong. His son Brian Houston sacked his father in 2000 when he admitted abusing a boy in New Zealand. But the police were never called in to investigate, and today for the first time it's emerged there were multiple victims. The ABC's Emily Bourke has been at the inquiry in Sydney. i/v
The United Nations is defending its handling of the ebola crisis as Spanish authorities confirmed the first case of an infection in Europe, and rushed to reassure the public that control measures are in place. The nurse who contracted the disease had helped to treat two missionaries brought back from Africa to Spain. Thirty other health workers are being monitored for symptoms. The ABC's Barney Porter reports. PKG
**************************
A study at Whangarei hospital has found Maori living in crowded conditions in state houses are suffering worse health issues than those in crowded private housing.
The findings of the pilot study "Housing and the health of tamariki in Te Tai Tokerau" were delivered at the Population Health Congress in Auckland.
It has revealed some of the houses the sick children were living in only had one set of curtains.
From Te Manu Korihi, Christopher Gilbert reports.
**************************
A creeping lava flow from Hawaii's Kilauea <kill-a-way-a> Volcano is now less than two kilometres from where people are living. The volcano has been active since 1983 but after a direction change in the lava flow it's now threatening a more populated part of Hawaii's Big Island. It's heading towards the village of Pahoa < PA-hoe-a > and could cut off a main highway. The acting scientist in charge of the observatory is Steve Brantley. i/v
*******************
Presenter: Mary Wilson, Jim Mora
Editor: Phil Pennington
Deputy editor: Jo Leavesley
Producers: Mei Yeoh, Sharon Brettkelly, Kim Savage