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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 WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH 2014
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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New allegations of mis-spending by the commercial arm of the Kohanga Reo Trust Board have emerged today - forcing government ministers to call in the Serious Fraud Office. The Education and Maori Affairs Ministers have been working with the trust board for the past six months, after accusations surfaced about credit cards being misused. The ministers, Hekia Parata and Pita Sharples, launched a review last October, in response to the claims that business credit cards were used to pay for dresses, fuel, and accommodation. Here's our parliamentary chief reporter, Jane Patterson.
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The Serious Fraud Office declined to comment. As to the Minister saying the Kohanga Reo Trust Board would answer questions about its subsidiary, its deputy chair Toni Waho says all the talking will instead be done by their nominated spokesperson Derek Fox. Another trustee Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi would tell us only that Te Pataka Ohanga is being run at the moment by an acting general manager. Derek Fox is with us now.
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Our Parliamentary Chief Reporter Jane Patterson is with us now . . . . . . . . .
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The widow of the Easy Rider skipper faces possible jail time or a large fine after being found guilty of breaking maritime and safety laws. Gloria Davis has been convicted of three charges and her company based in Bluff on another three. Her husband Rewai Karetai and seven others including a young boy died after a monster wave hit their mutton birding expedition in Foveaux Strait in 2012, in New Zealand's worst tragedy at sea since the Wahine. Our reporter William Ray has been reading Judge John Strettell's judgement.
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1720 TRAILS AND BUSINESS with Kate Gudsell
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As the search for the missing Malaysia plane enters its 11th day, another new theory has emerged about its possible whereabouts. Maldives residents have reported seeing a low-flying jumbo jet the day the plane with 239 people on board vanished from radar, pointing to the fact that it's somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Officials in Malaysia say they are trying to narrow the search area, which now covers about 7. 68m square kilometres. Christopher Buckley from the New York Times has been covering the story from Kuala Lumpur
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17. 30 HEADLINES
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A sharp rebound in dairy exports has helped narrow the difference between what the country earned and spent internationally last year. The current account deficit shrank to 7 point 5 billion dollars, or 3 point 4 percent of national output, in 2013. Economists expect that trend to continue, at least in the short term, before the deficit starts to widen again in response due to the faster growing economy sucking in more imports. Our economics correspondent, Patrick O'Meara, has been sifting through the numbers . . . .
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American authorities say they've dismantled one of the largest child sexual exploitation rings in history. Police have arrested fourteen men and identified two hundred and fifty one victims from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Britain and Belgium. The members only website had more than 27-thousand subscribers. The ABC's David Mark reports.
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Carter Holt Harvey has agreed to pay almost two million dollars for its part in an Auckland timber price-fixing scheme. The Commerce Commission says Carter Holt Harvey entered into an understanding with employees of its competitor Fletcher Distribution to fix prices on structural timber for commercial construction. The price fixing operated out of the two Pacemaker stores in Auckland during late 2012 and early 2013. Fletchers became aware of the scheme after a regular audit at the stores and notified the Commerce Commission which then investigated. Mani Dunlop was at the High Court in Auckland today.
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Ukrainian military forces in the capital of Crimea have spent the night armed and authorised to shoot after the reported killing of a junior officer by Russian forces during a raid on the main military base. Two other officers are said to be badly wounded. The interim Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called the attack a war crime and is expected to call a crisis meeting with European defence ministers to help stem further violence. Meanwhile Russia says Western sanctions over Crimea are unacceptable, and it is threatening consequences. The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, issued the warning in a telephone call to his American counterpart, John Kerry. Our correspondent Tom Barton is in Simferopol:
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17. 45 MANU KORIHI with Eru Rerekura
Kia ora mai, good evening,
The Serious Fraud Office is to look at whether to launch an investigation into the commercial division of the Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board.
A government-commissioned review into allegations of mis-spending has found there was no misuse of public funds by the Trust.
But the inquiry did not cover the Trust's commercial arm, Te Pātaka Ōhanga, because the Trust argued the business division doesn't directly receive public funds.
However, today, the government's received new unsubstantiated allegations of mis-spending, and has referred the matter to the Serious Fraud Office.
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Meanwhile. . . .
A Kōhanga Reo in Marlborough says it feels a sense of vindication for the Kōhanga Reo National Trust now a report has exonerated it from claims of financial mismanagement of public funds.
A kaiako at Waikawa Te Kōhanga Reo near Picton, says she always knew the Trust wasn't guilty because trustees such as, Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, aren't focussed on any financial gains, they are there first and foremost for the tamariki.
Another Kōhanga Reo, in Nelson, Kia Tau Te Rangimarie, says it agrees with the Education Minister, Hekia Parata's comment that tighter reins need to be put on koha, or donations.
She says koha of more than twenty dollars need to be recorded and every cent needs to be accounted for.
Most Kōhanga Reo Radio New Zealand spoke to this afternoon say they are waiting to attend a national Kōhanga Reo hui next month at Tūrangawaewae Marae to get the full picture of the financial review.
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Te Puni Kokiri is proposing to set up two Maori reference groups to help the Crown continue its review into the future of Maori wardens.
The Waitangi tribunal has held its second day of urgent hearings into the Maori Community Development Act, which governs Maori wardens.
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IN THE CROWN CALLED. . .
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The Labour Party says the ministers in charge of Māori Television need to be up-front about whether Paora Maxwell has been made the head of the station.
The party's broadcasting spokesperson, Kris Faafoi, says sources have told him that Māori TV staff were being called to a meeting today to announce the new chief executive.
Mr Maxwell's candidacy caused a stir late last year with the party saying his friendship with the Maori TV Board chairman, Georgina Te Heuheu, was a conflict of interest.
Kris Faafoi says the ministers Bill English and Pita Sharples must say whether reports Paora Maxwell will be given the job are accurate.
And he says, if that's the case, the ministers must assure the public that the appointment process was robust.
Māori Television says it's standing by its statement put out on Monday that no formal offer's been made.
That's Te Manu Korihi news, I'll have a further bulletin just before nine.
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United Nations investigators looking into human rights violations in Syria have provided their most detailed report to date of those they believe are responsible for atrocities in the war torn country. Four lists of names of individuals from all sides in the conflict, including senior figures in the Syrian military were presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Switzerland :
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Presenter: Mary Wilson
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Meg Fowler, Mei Yeoh