Checkpoint. 2001-12-06

Doctors, midwives and women's health advocates are concerned by administrative changes at National Women's Hospital which they believe could put patients' safety at risk. National Womens is to lose its general manager - instead the hospital will be run alongside the Starship Childrens Hospital. But 65 senior medical staff at the hospital have written to the Auckland District Health Board expressing their concerns about the plan. Sally Wenley has the details. PKGE
The Cheif executive of the Auckland District Health Board has just responded to enquiries from Checkpoint about the controversial changes. While Graeme Edmond is unavailable for an interview, he says the doctors' letter isn't a surprise as [illegible] Board is making a lot of changes which are about taking management out of hospitals and increasing clinicians' involvement. AUDIO CUT
The organisation governing psychiatrists here and in Australia is urging victims of the former Lake Alice Adolescent Unit to come forward and complain to the Medical Council. The government has paid six and a half million dollars damages to people who were sexually abused, and punished with electric shock treatment and painful injections in the unit in the 1970s. Dr Selwyn Leeks, who's now practising in Victoria, was in charge of the unit. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists says it's not prepared to stand by while such horrific allegations of abuse and torture are associated with the profession. The College's executive director, Craig Patterson says it is very concerned about what impact a lack of action will have on people's confidence in doctors. IV
To the Middle East - and two people have been wounded in Gaza after police clashed with thousands of angry Palestinians, protesting at the Palestinian Authority's decision to put militant Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin under house arrest. The Authority's move comes as Israel and the United States step up [illegible] on Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to crack down on militants after several deadly suicide attacks. The latest attack left three people injured and one dead after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a hotel. Over the weekend, suicide bombings killed twenty five people and wounded 200, sparking fierce Israeli retaliation. Our Washington correspondent Steve Mort reports. PKGE
BUSINESS NEWS WITH TODD NIALL
Southern hydro lakes are rising steadily after heavy rain, and experts say the prospects of power shortages next year are looking increasingly unlikely. But while the rain's been a welcome boost for the country's electricity users, it's also causing concern in Queenstown and Wanaka as lake levels rise. Maureen Lloyd reports. PKGE
The new publicly-funded Māori TV channel has passed its first Parliamentary hurdle during debate under urgency today, but not before causing splits in two political parties. Our Parliamentary Chief Reporter Kathryn Street filed this brennan
5.30 NEWS HEADLINES
SPORT with STEPHEN HEWSON
In Afghanistan, Kabul residents are welcoming the agreement clinched in Germany overnight which will see a transitional government start running the country after 20 years of civil war. The talks in Bonn saw delegates from four Afghan factions finally agree on the make up of the government - the man chosen to head the new interim administration is the Pashtun tribal leader Hamid Karzai. He says his priority is to make Afghanistan stable and peaceful - Kabul residents are optimistic. VOX POPS
I asked the BBC's correspondent in Kabul, Philip Mackie how important it is that the new leader of the administration is Pashtun. PREREC
In the Solomon Islands, the election results so far indicate widespread support for the former government, overthrown by rebels last year. So far, eight out of 50 parliamentary seat results have been announced, with former Prime Minister [illegible] Ula-Far-Ulu winning his seat by a landslide. In Honiara, the news was greeeted with widespread celebtration in the streets. CUT Our reporter Barbara Dreaver is in Honiara - she joins me now. LIVE WITH DROPIN
Some experienced teachers are opting for early retirement rather than face the introduction of the new secondary school qualifications framework. The National Certificate of Educational Achievement replaces School Cert from next year, and will increase the amount of internal assesment. And as Julian Robins reports that's adding to concerns within the teaching profession over workloads. PKGE
The Cook Islands is working to eliminate a destructive insect pest just discovered there before it destroys the nation's commercial fruit and vegetable crops. The discovery of the Queensland fruit flies has already seen New Zealand ban imports of Cook Islands chilli peppers. But for the time being, New Zealand is still importing pawpaws, mangoes and aubergines because heat treatment can be used to kill the flies. The Cook Island's Agriculture Ministry spokesman, Patrick Arioka says it's likely the fruit fly larvae was in rubbish discarded by a boat from Tahiti - I asked him what they are doing to ensure the pest doesn't become established. PREREC
Despite the international economic downturn in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks, confidence is returning to the New Zealand tourism industry with a range of multi-million dollar developments being announced across the country. The investments include today's launch of plans for a major new operation by AJ Hackett Bungy in Queenstown. Our tourism reporter Fiona Morris has the details. PKGE
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