**** CKPT FOR FRI 7 DEC 2007
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Graham Henry has been reappointed as the All Blacks coach for a further two years, despite New Zealand's worst ever Rugby World Cup campaign. The acting chairman of the Rugby Board says the decision is based on Henry's remarkable results over a four-year tenure, which are among the best in All Black history. His main rival was the Crusader's coach Robbie Deans. Canterbury fans are extremely unhappy their Rugby Hero has missed out. VOXPOPS And in Graham Henry's home town Auckland the response isn't that much better. VOXPOPS
And today Graham Henry is taking the criticism on the chin. PRE-REC
Steve Tew is the incoming chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union. What's his response to the accusation from Canterbury fans that the board has picked a loser. PRE-REC
Tracey Goodman was sentenced today to a minimum 19-years in prison for the murder of a Marton pensioner. 83-year old Mona Morriss was found stabbed to death in her Marton flat more than two years ago, and in September Goodman was found guilty of her murder. Bryan Gibson was in court for the sentencing this morning and filed this report. PACKAGE
The Corrections Department says a young Hamilton woman can rest assured that she'll never again find her mother's killer has been living next door. The man was sentenced to life in prison for murder in the early 1990s, and was paroled to an address next to his victim's daughter in January. He's now been recalled to prison. Cherie McQuilkin reports. PACKAGE
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BUSINESS NEWS
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Waikato police are getting a new leader. The present district commander, Superintendent Kelvin Powell, who was acquitted on an historical rape charge in 2004, has missed out after the job was readvertised. Reporter Andrew McRae joins me now. LIVE
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17.30 HEADLINES
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Former rugby league star Brent Todd has had his fraud sentence reduced because he's agreed to be a witness against five other men facing similar charges. Todd was ordered to serve 12 months home detention in the Auckland District Court today for his role in a $2million fraud of charitable sports donations. He had initially denied the charges but changed his plea to guilty at a hearing last month. Rowan Quinn was in court and she joins me now. LIVE
The former Immigration Minister Tuariki John Delamere is to take a private prosecution against Cabinet Minister, David Cunliffe, and several senior public servants. Earlier this year Mr Delamere was acquitted of charges of fraudulently helping Chinese business people settle in NZ.. Mr Delamere always denied any guilt, and has now been given the go-ahead by the court to launch a private prosecution over the claims. Rachel Graham reports. PACKAGE
The National MP Tau Henare has missed a deadline to contact those taking a private prosecution against the Cabinet Minister, Trevor Mallard. And it appears that the man taking the prosecution, Wellington accountant, Graham McCready, may also be wavering over whether to continue. Mr McCready laid a charge against Mr Mallard over a fracas in the Parliamentary lobby in October in which he's alleged to have assaulted Mr Henare. Our Court reporter, Ann Marie May has filed this report. PACKAGE
In the United States the Bush administration has a plan to freeze interest rates for some American home owners who are facing a painful increase in their mortgage repayments. The U.S.President George Bush says the package negotiated with the mortgage industry is likely to be available for up to a million people. It's hoped the scheme will stem the tide of home loan foreclosures which have threatened to knock the country's economy into a recession. The ABC's Kim Landers reports. PACKAGE
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WAATEA NEWS
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People in Fiji are battening down the hatches as they prepare for what could be one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the country. Cyclone Daman has been upgraded to category four, just one category short of a super hurricane, as it rapidly approaches Fiji's second largest island Vanua Levu. Joining us now is our correspondent in Fiji, Vijay Narayan LIVE
A new study shows a third of New Zealanders in their early twenties have a drinking problem, and most of them are in denial about it. Dr Elisabeth Wells has examined reasons why young adults do or don't seek treatment for alcohol problems in research published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. She says when young people actually seek help for problem drinking, it's likely to work but the problem is they won't face the truth about their alcohol consumption. Charlotte Graham reports. PACKAGE
The future of the kakapo population rests with one bird and artificial insemination. With only 86 left in the world, very particular breeding habits, and inbreeding causing genetic mutations, the native parots need all the help they can get. Team Leader for the Department of Conservation's Kakapo recovery team is Emma Neil. PRE-REC
A US counter-terrorism police officer who says he failed a drugs test because his wife spiked his meatballs with marijuana is suing to get his job back. Anthony Chiofalo, of the NYPD has taken his case to the Manhattan Supreme Court. He was suspended in 2005 after 22 years of service, for failing a random drugs test. The BBC's Nick Miles reports. PACKAGE
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