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 FRIDAY 3 JULY 2015
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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The bodies of two little boys and their five year old sister found dead in front of the TV, and their mother nearby in the hallway, have now been removed from a house in Ashburton. Pio Raukete, three year old Teu/ruaa <TE-UR-UAA> George and the youngest child Telyz/shaun <TELEZ SHAUN> George who was two were found yesterday, with Cindy Tangi/purunga George who was 31. It's believed the four died from breathing exhaust from a car left running in a garage connected to the house in Thomson Street, with the postmortem due on Monday. The family was house sitting and had been asked to run the car occasionally to keep it in running order. Canterbury District Commander Superintendent John Price told reporters this afternoon the time of their deaths is uncertain but it could be a matter of days and possibly as long as a week ago. CUT John Price at an earlier news conference gave more details about the deaths. CUT Superintendent Price says the house was modern and well sealed which meant the fumes became trapped and built up quickly. CUT Cindy George moved to Ashburton about five years ago. A Cook Islands leader in the town Tony Vainerere Vainerere (vy-nih-rare-ree) says her expartner who lives in locally is being supported. He says her children meant the world to her. CUT
Alanna Beck, who lives one house over from where the family was found, says as a mother of three herself, she understands how easily tragic accidents can happen. i/v
Investors in a failed precious metals trading company have described how they lost everything at the hands of the man who ran it. Robert Kairua has been jailed this afternoon for three years and nine months for what the judge called a ponzi-like scheme. He traded under the name Bullion Buyer and his trading company collapsed in 2012. The Serious Fraud Office, which brought the case said the company ran a bogus and fraudulent scheme from the outset. One investor who didn't want to be named, said outside court that he lost a quarter of a million dollars. CUT Our reporter Kim Baker Wilson was in court. i/v
The head of the Eurogroup has warned that if Greece votes "no" to austerity measures this weekend it risks its place in the eurozone. The comments are a direct rebuke to Greece's prime minister, who has twice urged his constituents to vote "no". The country is busily preparing for this weekend's referendum, just as limits on cash withdrawals start to bite. This report from the ABC's Martin Cuddihy in Athens. PKG
The Press Council has found the New Zealand Herald used elements of subterfuge to persuade a young waitress who had accused the Prime Minister of repeatedly yanking her ponytail into going public with her story. Amanda Bailey is no longer working at the Rosie Cafe in John Key's Parnell neighbourhood, which was the scene of the serial ponytail pulling she described in an anonymous article for left-wing website The Daily Blog in April. Ruth Hill reports. PKG
After three days of speculation New Zealand First has announced its new deputy leader is Ron Mark. Mr Mark has dismissed suggestions of tensions within the party over his election at Tuesday's caucus meeting. And the woman he replaced, Tracey Martin, says Mr Mark has more political experience than she does and is the best person for the job. Ms Martin says his taking over the role is a natural progression for the party. CUT Our political editor Brent Edwards spoke to Ron Mark and began by asking him why the party did not announce his election as deputy leader after its caucus meeting on Tuesday. i/v
Massive, huge and historic - that's what fans are calling the Super Rugby final between the Hurricanes and Highlanders tomorrow night and the game hasn't even been played yet. Neither team has ever won the competition. Mark Miller has been to every Highlanders home game this season. He couldn't get to the final but says the atmosphere in Dunedin is electric. CUT An army of Highlanders fans are in the capital and are confident of victory despite the table-topping Hurricanes being clear favourites. Mark Stafford from the TAB has been weighing up the odds. i/v
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17.30 HEADLINES
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17.35 BUSINESS
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Auckland's Skypath - which will be attached to the city's Harbour Bridge - will cost pedestrians and cyclists up to 6-dollars per return trip to use. Auckland Council has granted resource consent for the clip-on pedestrian and cycle-way, which will cost an estimated 33 million dollars to build.. Speaking from beneath the Harbour Bridge, project director Bevan Woodward said it will be a big draw for pedestrians, cyclists and tourists. i/v
ASB is offering up a one-year fixed 'special' home loan rate of 4-point-89 percent - the lowest home loan rate seen in two years. Last month, mortgage brokers were predicting mortgage rates from 6 months to 5 years could all MOVE under 5 percent. A broker at Auckland's Loan Plan, Christine Lockie, says other banks are likely to follow ASB's lead.
She is with us now. i/v
A lawyer says assault charges against his client, a top principal, have been dropped because a judge ruled his ex-wife was out to destroy him. Jeanne Denham accused her ex-husband Peter Clague of pushing her to the ground in 2010, but it wasn't until last year that she took a private prosecution. Jeanne Denham's lawyer Marie Dyhrberg won't talk to Checkpoint. Peter Clague was the principal of Auckland's Kristin School and is now the headmaster at a prestigious British school. The Judge David McNaughton dropped the charges today and said no properly directed jury would be able to convict Mr Clague. His lawyer is Mike Lloyd. i/v
Environmental groups say the 18-billion-US-dollar settlement reached for the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 will go some way to pay forn the clean up but they need the money to come through quickly. The deal, which still requires court approval, is the largest corporate settlement in US history. It comes on top of the 57-billion-dollars BP has already set aside for criminal and civil penalties and clean-up costs. Doug Meffert is from The Audubon, an environmental group that's taking a lead in the clean up. i/v
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The Ngapuhi leader Sonny Tau could face imprisonment or a one-hundred-thousand-dollar fine if he's found guilty of killing and possessing protected wildlife.
Today the Department of Conservation laid two charges against him relating to the hunting and possession of a protected species under the Wildlife Act.
Tonight there are renewed for Mr Tau to step down from all his leadership roles.
Laura Bootham reports.
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What do you do if you're a Highlanders fan but can't get to Wellington for the Super Rugby final tomorrow night? You send a flag. Thousands of them are sending their very attractive Highlanders flag up to Wellington to those lucky enough to have tickets to wave at the ground in support of the lads from the south. They're writing their mobile phone numbers on their flags and a good luck message for the southerners. The Commercial Manager of the Highlanders, Mike Kerr, explains where the idea came from. CUT Diehard Highlanders fan, Mark Miller, was one of the thousands who are sending a flag to the capital. i/v
Malaysia wants to set up an international tribunal to prosecute those suspected of having shot down flight MH17. The Malaysia Airlines passenger plane crashed in July 2014, killing all 298 people on board. It had been flying over territory held by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine when it was hit. Separatist leaders have denied accusations they used an anti-aircraft missile to shoot down the plane. New Zealand's UN ambassador Gerard van Bohemen, says Malaysia, Australia, the Netherlands, Belgium and Ukraine, are making a joint proposal for the tribunal. CUT The BBC's correspondent in Malaysia is Jennifer Pak. i/v
Marine scientists in the journal Science are warning that life in the seas and oceans will be irreversibly damaged without major cuts in carbon emissions. The BBC's Roger Harribin, has more PKG
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Presenter: Gareth Thomas, Jim Mora
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Mei Heron, Michael Allan, Denise Garland, Duncan Snelling