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Checkpoint FOR MONDAY 16 JULY 2012
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Road tolls, a regional fuel tax, and more expensive parking are back on the agenda in Auckland as the city struggles to beat congested roads with major new transport projects.
Auckland Council is to explore five funding options, to close a gap of more than ten billion dollars for roads and rail in the coming years. But the city's mayor Len Brown is accused of moving too fast, and without public backing. Our Auckland Correspondent Todd Niall reports. PKG
The International Red Cross has declared the conflict in Syria a civil war, as Damascus is hit by the most intense fighting since the uprising erupted 16 months ago. The change in status means COM-buh-tuhnts combatants will be subject to the Geneva Convention and possible war crimes prosecution. The ABC's Emily Bourke has more : PKG
School principals say the public wants tougher punishments for misbehaving students, not a softer line. The Principal Youth Court Judge, Andrew Becroft, has called on schools to keep difficult children enrolled as long as possible so they are less likely to become criminals. But the Secondary Principals Association says schools will be going against the tide of public opinion if they don't expel or suspend bullies and drug-sellers. Our education correspondent, John Gerritsen, filed this report. PKG
A company specialising in treating sexual dysfunction prescribed drugs to two patients after they'd had a phone consultation with doctors in Australia. One of the men had his credit card charged 12 hundred dollars even though he hadn't agreed to go ahead with the treatment and waited more than a year for a refund. The Health and Disability Commissioner says the company, Advanced Medical Institute, failed four patients including two who did see doctors in New Zealand. The Commissioner Anthony Hill says it's the first time he's come across doctors prescribing over the phone to people they haven't examined. PREREC
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS WITH Jonathan Mitchell
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A court has been told the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research's official temperature records are flawed and should not be used for evidence of climate change.The court proceedings have been brought by the Climate Science Coalition which disputes the phenomenon. Our reporter Amelia Langford has been at the hearing which got underway at the High Court in Auckland today. LIVE
North Korea's state media is reporting the head of the Army has been removed from power. Ri ree Yong-Ho was appointed two years ago, before the death of the former leader, Kim Jong-Il. Here's the BBC's Seoul correspondent, Lucy Williamson: PKG
The Government wants party pills and legal highs to have to go through the same rigorous testing as all new medicines. New laws will require anyone wanting to sell a new herbal drug or pill to have to prove in advance they are safe to use. Here's our political reporter, Demelza Leslie. PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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A new report short lists a regional fuel tax for Auckland and tolls as ways to pay for big transport projects. The Auckland Council report outlines five options for closing a gap of more than ten billion dollars for major projects including an extra harbour crossing and a downtown rail tunnel. Other options include charging to use key roads at peak times and higher car parking fees. Paul Callow heads up the infrastructure section of accountancy firm Deloitte. He joins us now. LIVE
New Zealanders could be in for more expensive internet bills if the United States pushes ahead with a proposed levy undersea cables that land on its shores. It would mean operators like the Southern Cross Cable Network, which connects Australia and New Zealand to the US, would pay almost 16 percent of their revenue to subsidise America's rural broadband users. Telecommunications Users Association chief executive Paul Brislen says the proposal is unfair. PREREC
Local councils say they have sent a strong message to the Government to drop its attempts to change what their core role should be. The new definition is included in a Local Government Amendment Bill that's before Parliament. Councils unanimously passed a resolution opposing the change at their annual general meeting in Queenstown. Here's our political reporter, Clare Pasley. PKG
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17.45 MANU KORIHI
The Waitangi Tribunal's water rights inquiry has heard that shares in state-owned enterprises - such as four power companies - may serve as redress to Māori.
The urgent hearing asked for by the Māori Council was sparked by the government proposing to sell off shares in four electricity enterprises, including Mighty River Power.
Rosemary Rangitauira is covering the hearing.
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The country's newest Māori-language school says the Crown is pleased with the way it's been set up.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia Te Matangi in Nelson opened with a pōwhiri at dawn on Saturday.
The principal, Merita Waitoa-Paki, says the kura kaupapa is the first school of its kind to be reviewed under the new, recognised qualification for special-character schools.
She says the national body for kura kaupapa and helped to establish a good relationship with the Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education.
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The principal of Tuia Te Matangi, Merita Waitoa-Paki.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust Chairman, Toby Curtis, says Māori are waiting patiently for a rugby field sized floating wetland planned for Lake Rotorua, to be completed.
The 900-thousand dollar project is a joint initiative between the Trust, Rotorua District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Toby Curtis expects the wetland made of more than half a million plastic soft drink bottles and 20 thousand native plants, to remove four tonnes of nitrogen and a tonne of phosphorus from the lake each year.
The Rotorua Council expects assembling of the wetland to be finished by the end of July.
A Rotorua wahine with a passion for Tina Turner's music was declared 'simply the best' at the annual Matariki Te Arawa Women's Awards in the city on Friday.
Beatrice Yates - known as Aunty Bea - has been recognised for a lifetime of contribution to her tribe - winning the supreme award.
She has been a school teacher for more than 50 years and has been instrumental in promoting her iwi's culture and language - and helped to set up Te Whakapono Health Trust.
The 72-year-old - who has Māori, Scottish, Indian, Fijian and Irish ancestry - is also known locally for her career in performing arts since the early 1970s.
The event's manager, Te Ringahuia Hata, say Aunty Bea stole the show with a medley of Tina Turner songs - including 'Simply The Best'.
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A place in the final of netball's trans-Tasman competition awaits the winner of tonight's game between the Northern Mystics and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, in Auckland. The victor will play the Melbourne Vixens in the final on Sunday. The former Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering told Stephen Hewson the fact the Magic are still in title contention after losing the first four games of the season show how resilient they are. PREREC
Japanese troops have been airlifting supplies to thousands of people cut off by torrential rain and landslides on the southern island of Kyushu The record rainfall has killed at least 26 people and forced hundreds to flee their homes. With the latest, the ABC's Mark Willacy is on the line from Japan. LIVE