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 24 SEPT 2014
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Fonterra's falling payout threatens up to a quarter of dairy farmers with making a loss this season as well as delivering a five-billion-dollar body blow to the economy. The company today confirmed a record payout to its 10 thousand 500 farmers for the season just ended of 8 dollars 40 but a glut of milk on global markets means this year's predicted payout has fallen to 5 dollars 30. That would take 2 per cent off GDP. While the high milk prices last season were good for farmers, Fonterra's own profit plunged from 718 million to 157 million because it has to buy more expensive milk for its own products. But it roughly tripled its dividend to between 25 and 35 cents. Dairy farmer optimism is now at its lowest ebb in two years, and Rabobank, which did that confidence survey, expects more debt-pressed farmers to come in seeking relief as their cashflow worsens. A South Canterbury sharemilker, Ben Jaunay jor-NAY, is worried things could get worse. CUT Cutting back on worker numbers is among his few options, but he will resist that because it puts too much load on the remaining staff. How the pain hits home will vary region by region, as Jessie Chan-Dorman, the president of Federated Farmers' dairy section in Mid Canterbury, points out. CUT The chair of Fonterra John Wilson says farmers know they've got to factor in volatile commodity prices from one season to the next and they look to the underlying trend of strong prices because of Asian demand. i/v
Dozens of fishery officers and police raided a large family-owned Hawkes Bay fishing company this morning targeting its operations across the country. 88 inspectors swooped on sites in Napier, Wellington, Tauranga, Gisborne, the Chatham Islands and Christchurch looking for documents that will back up the suspected illegal fishing. Hawkes Bay Seafoods, a big family owned company in the area, is refusing to confirm or deny that it's the target, but a statement on its website says, due to unforeseen circumstances it is unable to pack any orders. A store manager told Checkpoint the office is closed today and no one was available to talk to us. The Ministry for Primary Industries compliance director, Dean Baigent, won't confirm the company's name. He says a fraud investigation started six months ago when officers noticed irregulaties that indicated deliberate and calculated offending. i/v
Solid Energy, is aiming to decide by the end of next month whether to re-enter the main tunnel at Pike River mine. The state-owned coal firm's chief executive Dan Clifford held a news conference this afternoon amid new questions raised by emails released under the Official Information Act. They show that almost a year ago the health and safety regulator WorkSafe told Solid Energy the re-entry plan was safe and technically feasible. The lawyer for many of the families of the 29 men killed in the blasts four years ago, says Solid Energy must answer questions about what legal advice it's getting. Dan Clifford is with us now. i/v
A 17 year-old Manurewa man has been arrested and charged with attacking 43 year-old Lucy Knight the 'good samaritan' who came to the aid of an older woman outside a supermarket in Northcote yesterday afternoon . He's been charged with aggravated wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to rob. He will stay in Police custody overnight and appear in the North Shore District Court tomorrow morning. Detective Senior Sergeant Stan Brown is thanking the public for the speedy arrest, saying it's down to each and every person that looked at, and shared the pictures police put out. Speaking before the arrest he said that help has been incredible. CUT Lucy Knight's husband, Peter Thomas says the family is shocked and upset by the attack. He's thanked family and friends for their love and support, and the many others who have offered their support and best wishes. Lucy Knight, remains in hospital in a stable condition after surgery. These people at the Northcote shopping centre where the attack happened say it's made them more wary but they hope they'd be as brave CUT The Police say the investigation is ongoing and North Shore Police still want to hear from anyone who was in the area yesterday, and who may have seen a white station-wagon with tinted windows.
Police in Australia say the suspected terrorist shot dead in Melbourne last night was in their sights for months and his passport had just been suspended. It comes as the Senate prepares to pass new counter terrorism laws. 18 year old Abdul Numan Haider (abdul newman high-da) stabbed two police officers before being shot dead. The ABC's Tony Nicholls has the latest. PKG
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17.30 HEADLINES
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17.35 MARKET UPDATE
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People caught sleeping rough in abandoned buildings in Christchurch have been ordered to stay away from each other while out on bail. Up to ten homeless people were arrested over the weekend for unlawfully being in an abandoned building and were issued with non-association orders by the Christchurch District Court. Police say there's been a steady increase of arrests for people found in empty buildings since the earthquakes and non-association orders are to stop people committing crimes with the same group. Jemma Brackebush reports. PKG
Investors in the failed Ross Asset Management have written to the Minister of Commerce, claiming weak regulations are stopping them from recovering more of their lost investments. The letter, written by Bruce Tichbon on behalf of 400 investors, says financial structures and safeguards in New Zealand are not robust enough and the protection of widows, retired couples and small investors has been ignored. The letter says more than 170,000 investors have lost money through fraud and many have recovered only a tiny fraction because of the weak regulations. Bruce Tichbon has written the letter on behalf of 400 investors. He joins us i/v
The Chinese government is for the first time willing to take firm action to cut its carbon emissions. Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli < JANG GOW-Li> has told the United Nations summit on climate change that the country's emissions would peak as soon as possible, and China will work to reduce emissions by forty-five per cent by 2020. His words are translated. CUT Lisa Murray form the Australian Financial Review in China is with us i/v
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A Far North iwi leader says local government is archaic and 30 years behind the times in partnering with Maori.
The former chief negotiator for Ngāi Takoto, Rangitane Marsden, says councils haven't engaged with tangata whenua and have little understanding of what Treaty partnerships are all about.
From Te Manu Kōrihi news, Laura Bootham reports.
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Australia's Parliament is debating the Government's counter-terrorism laws, which would make it easier for intelligence officials to access computers and give them more legal immunity when carrying out covert operations, in special circumstances. It would also increase the penalty for disclosing secret information to up to 10 years' imprisonment - a measure that could lead to journalists being jailed. A second bill, targeting so-called "foreign fighters", is also being looked at. The ABC's Political correspondent Nicolas Pedley is with us. i/v
An eco house builder is shocked that a wall has been stolen from a partly-built home near Christchurch and he suspects industrial espionage. Burglars broke into True Green Homes on Monday night, made cuts into the walls, ripped out insulation and stole a fully-built wall from the lounge. The police are investigating the theft . True Green Homes general manager is Greg Thomson. i/v
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Presenter: Mary Wilson, Jim Mora
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Jo Leavesley, Mei Yeoh, Sharon Brettkelly