Checkpoint. 2001-01-25

HEADLINES & NEWS
The threat of major industrial action is looming large over the meat industry, putting next month's meat exports at risk. 120 MAF vets, who certify export meat, have rejected the Ministry's latest pay offer, and have given notice that they will go on partial and then full strike over February. This afternoon meat industry and farmer groups were being briefed by the Ministry of Agriculture on the situation, and MAF has appealed to the vets to return to talks. MAF says the action has the potential to hurt meat companies, farmers and meat workers - it's timed to fall right in the middle of the industry's processing season for the 1.4 billion dollar Easter lamb trade. We'll be talking to the National Union of Public Employees which covers the vets in a moment, but first MAF's [illegible] Grant Burney joins us now. LIVE
Ivan Finlayson, who is the secretary for the National Union of Public Employees, which covers MAF vets joins us now. LIVE
A report released today on Healthcare Otago's breastscreening programme has revealed that two women developed breast cancer after their mammogram results were mistakenly filed as normal. The report is by an independent review panel which was set up last year after it was discovered that women who should have had followup examinations didn't because their screening results were put in the wrong pile. The discovery of the mistake prompted a review of thousands of files, as a result 25 women were re-called for reassessment, and of those two have been diagnosed with breast cancer. The files of 96 women can't be found. Amongst its recommendations the report says the screening programme should urgently resolve why it's detecting breast cancers at a higher rate than in the rest of the country, and why the programme has so many false positive results. It also calls for a full-time clincial director to head the programme. The is the fifth review to highlight problems with the Otago screening programme.
Joining us now is Healthcare Otago's chief executive Dr Bill Adam. LIVE
BUSINESS NEWS with CLARE SZIRANYI
Eight people were injured after a tourist jetboat crashed on the Waikato River near Taupo this morning. The accident happened just below the Huka Falls. Seven of the injured were Korean tourists, the other was their bus driver. Three others on the jet boat including the boats driver weren't injured. Our reporter, Andrew McRae has been following developments. LIVE WITH DROP INS
The tourism industry is set for a multi-million dollar boost following an agreement between New Zealand and Japan that will allow greater airline access between the two countries. The Government announced today that the deal is expected to bring an extra 30 thousand Japanese tourists here, and inject a further 150 million tourist dollars into the New Zealand economy. Liz Banas has more. PKGE
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
Police believe that a prison escapee who is one of New Zealand's most notorious drug dealers is still peddling drugs. Last week a Tongan newspaper published a photograph of convicted drug dealer Brian Curtis who escaped from the maximum security wing of Paremoremo with another prisoner and fled by boat in 1993. Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Bush says Interpol and the Tongan authorities are now trying to confirm any sightings in Tonga of Curtis. I asked him for the latest. PREREC
Federated Farmers has criticised a 30-thousand dollar Goverment payout to Marlborough farmers hit by last month's fires as a token gesture, and say they need several million dollars to repair damaged fences and burnt out pasture. Chief executive Tony Saint Clair says farmers were asking for 50-thousand dollars to immediately spend on overseeing volunteer help on the farms, technical advice to farmers and counselling for those traumatised by the devastation. I asked him what Federated Farmers will be doing now. PREREC
The status of the closing the gaps programme for reducing inequalities for Māori, Pacific Islanders and other New Zealanders, is under fresh scrutiny after questions were raised at the annual Ratana celebrations near Wanganui. One kaumatua, Tumanako Wereta, expressed dis-satisfaction at what he saw as the policy being sanitised and controlled by pakeha politicians. But the Prime Minister told the gathering the direction is unchanged, and only the name has been dropped. Here's our Parliamentary Chief Reporter Kathryn Street. PKGE
In the US, six of the highly dangerous fugitives who broke out of a jail in Texas have now surrendered to the police. A seventh took his own life earlier this week. The last two of the so-called Texas Seven gave themselves up peacefully in Colorado in exchange for being interviewed by a local television reporter. Our Washington reporter Steve Mort reports. pkge
The Pinot Noir 2001 conference has been officially opened in Wellington a short time ago.
The conference is the first in New Zealand to focus on the country's Pinot Noir wines. Organisers have billed the conference as a reality check to see whether New Zealand really is producing the goods in this specialised red wine area. One of the large number of overseas visitors is US wine writer Tom Hyland of the California based Underground Wine Journal and I asked him what is so special about pinot noir. PREREC
MANA NEWS
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