Checkpoint. 2006-10-20

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Year
2006
Reference
34090
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Year
2006
Reference
34090
Media type
Audio
Item unavailable online
Duration
01:00:00
Credits
RNZ Collection

**** CKPT FOR FRI OCT 20 *******
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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LEGISLATION DRINKING: A bill raising the drinking age back to 20 could be debated in Parliament as early as next month - after a select committee gave it the green light for a conscience vote. The law and order select committee backed the members bill, which wants to reverse the changes made in 1999 when politicians narrowly voted yes to allowing 18 year olds to buy alcohol. Since then debate has raged over whether the change has contributed to the country's binge drinking culture and more violence, car crashes and unwanted pregnancies. Under the proposals released today 18 and 19 year-olds would be not be allowed to buy alcohol, but could drink in bars and restaurants if they're with parent or partner over 20. They would still be allowed to work in pubs. It would also be an offence to supply alcohol to minors although a parent could still give a teenager alcohol at a supervised party. The Chair of the committee Ron Mark says the recommendations are comprehensive. CUT
The Labour MP Martin Gallagher who took over the members bill from former Progressive MP Matt Robson, is heartened by the select committee's support for the proposed law change. But he is expecting that the conscience votes from MPs to progress the bill further, will be close. CUT
In a moment we'll get the view of the Greens. But first this from our reporter Steve Wilde. PKG
Green MP Metiria Turei is calling the select committee's decision disappointing and bizarre. She joins us now. LIVE
HUATA PRISON: The husband of the former ACT MP Donna Awatere-Huata is behind bars this evening, after a Court of Appeal decision dismissed the couple's appeals against their fraud convictions. The pair were found guilty last year on charges of stealing about 80-thousand dollars from the Pipi Foundation - a charitable Trust set up to run literacy programmes. Ms Awatere-Huata's lawyer has already announced he'll be taking the matter to the Supreme Court to file a further appeal. She has already served 9 months in prison; her husband Wi Huata was on bail pending the appeal. Wi Huata's lawyer, Sanjay Patel, says as soon as his client heard the news this morning he handed himself in. LIVE
CLARKSON ASSAULT: The National MP, Bob Clarkson, has lodged a privileges complaint with Parliament's speaker, alleging Trevor Mallard assaulted him by whacking him over the head with a book. Mr Clarkson claims the Economic Development Minster came over to his side of the chamber, and hit him with the book at the end of Question Time yesterday in the House. However, after considering taking the matter to the police, Mr Clarkson has decided not to.
Trevor Mallard, who declined to be interviewed, has issued a statement totally rejecting the suggestion he assaulted Mr Clarkson. He says he's very surprised that someone who has a reputation as a good joker, can't take it when the joke is on him. Bob Clarkson joins us now. LIVE
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1720 BUSINESS NEWS WITH BADEN CAMPBELL
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IRAQ VIETNAM: The United States is playing down the president's remarks which acknowledged a parallel between the conflict in Iraq and the US war in Vietnam. Yesterday, George Bush said a newspaper columnist could be right to compare the surge in violence in Iraq with the Tet offensive in Vietnam, which swung public opinion against that war almost 40 years ago. But now the White House says the comments have been misunderstood. The ABC's Kim Landers filed this reports from Washington. PKGE
AUCKLAND TRAFFICE: It's the big getaway for the long weekend - with Labour Day on Monday. Let's get a travel update from our reporter in Auckland: Laura Davies. LIVE
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1730 HEADLINES
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SPORTS NEWS WITH STEPHEN HEWSON
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NORTHLAND STADIUM: Plans for a multi-million dollar stadium in Whangarei are on the verge of collapse - because of a power struggle over who will run it.
The Northland Rugby Union has been granted resource consent for the forty-million-dollar complex at Okara Park. But the Whangarei District Council - which backed the project is threatening to pull out - claiming the rugby union wants too much control over a community facility. And just to lend a little frisson to the fiasco - the leading lights in the two organisations now at loggerheads are the mayor Pamela Peters and her ex husband --- lawyer and rugby man Wayne Peters. Lois Williams reports. PKGE
MEDIA MURDOCH: In the latest attempt to have a finger in all the pies, media giant Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation has swooped in to buy a key stake in its rival, Fairfax. NewsCorp spent no less than 360 million dollars on the 7 and a half per cent share in the John Fairfax group, which owns several daily newspapers, including the Dominion Post, the Press and the Sunday Star-Times in New Zealand. It's the latest in a series of moves to take advantage of new laws across the ditch, which will relax cross media and foreign ownership rules.
NewsCorp claims the move is simply an investment, but some Australian analysts say it could spell the end of Fairfax. Joining me now is Auckland based business and media analyst David McEwan. LIVE
TREE MAUNGANUI: A mature Norfolk pine tree on a private property, which its owner wants to chop down, is dividing a community in Mount Maunganui. Bill Young wants to get rid of the registered tree which he says blocks access to a garage. But not everyone in the neighbourhood is happy. A hearing took place in the Tauranga City Council chambers today to decide the tree's fate. Monica Holt went along and compiled this report: PKGE
HOUSING EVICT: After a spat played out radio and tv...Housing New Zealand says a family it was about to evict today from a state house in Auckland has agreed to re-locate to a smaller home. The family has lived in the three bedroom Panmure home for over 30 years but the mother died last month and her daughter wanted to stay there with other relatives. But Housing New Zealand said they had to relocate to a smaller state house. With us now is its Regional Manager in Auckland, Graham Bodman. LIVE
STHAFRICA-NZ: Relations between South Africa and New Zealand will step up a notch next year, with the republic announcing it'll set up a high commission here. The South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka has been in talks with Prime Minister Helen Clark in Auckland today. It's the highest level visit by a South African official since former President Nelson Mandela travelled to New Zealand more than a decade ago. Sarah Bristow reports. PKGE
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WAATEA NEWS WITH ERU REREKURA
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AUSTRALIA SUICIDE: An alarming number of Australian farmers are turning to suicide, as they struggle to cope with the country's worst drought in a century.
Figures from Australia's national depression initiative, Beyond Blue, show one farmer is taking their life every four days. Farmers are worst hit in the big dry, and with meteorologists saying there is no hope of rain before New Year, the situation has reached crisis point. Beyond Blue is calling for psychologists to tour agricultural areas to combat depression, anxiety and stress. Joining us now is the organisation's CEO, Leonie Young. LIVE
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