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 FRIDAY 19 JUNE 2015
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1700 to 1707 NEWS
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Fresh waves of rain have been sweeping Hokitika, compounding the misery of townsfolk forced to evacuate homes and others just trying to keep floodwaters out. We'll get the very latest from the emergency controller shortly. Early today the Plymouth Court Rest Home and Allen Bryant Hospital evacuated 46 elderly people, some in wheelchairs. Most are now at the Grey Base Hospital. Just north of Hokitika, the Dempster family were woken by neighbours phoning in the middle of the night warning them to get out and up to the local marae. But their path was blocked by a deep, metre wide trough that had opened up from one side of the road to the other. 13 year old Argyle Dempster says it was a bit like a movie. CUT Argyle's mother Belinda Dempster says the creek which runs under the road had scoured it out. i/v In Hokitika itself, jade shop owner Jenny Keogan (CO-Ghin) had never seen sustained rainfall like it, despite being a lifelong coaster. CUT Coastguard volunteer Mark Bolland helped with two rescues, the first just south of Greymouth where he used an inflatable boat to motor 50 metres across deep flood water to get to a marooned house. i/v
At Greymouth, the Grey River is now dropping and in Buller there is no serious flooding either, though the roads are difficult to drive around with drains overflowing. In Hokitika it's a different story. The Westland District Council chief executive Tanya Winter is coordinating the emergency response there. i/v
For weeks some rugby commentators have been describing Sir John Kirwan as a dead man walking. Today the All Black great quit as coach of the Blues after an awful season in the Super 15 competition they dominated. Mei Heron reports. PKG
Protesters have won their court action to stop Ports of Auckland extending Bledisloe Wharf. The High Court has just released its ruling in favour of the group Urban Auckland, and setting aside the resource consents for the 90 metre plus extensions. It says the Auckland council's decision to proceed without notifying the consents was flawed. The architect who chairs Urban Auckland Julie Stout is with us now. i/v
Colin Craig has stood down as Conservative Party leader ahead of a vote by the board. The Conservative's board WAS due to meet tonight, a week earlier than scheduled, after some members became upset about a television interview he did in a sauna. Here's our political reporter, Demelza Leslie. PKG
A man who extracted teeth from two partners, in one case during sex, is tonight beginning a 6-year jail sentence. Philip Hansen, who is 56 was sentenced in the Wellington District Court after a Jury had earlier found him guilty of several charges, including two of wounding with intent to injure. He was acquitted on 2 further charges of wounding with intent to injure and charges of rape and injuring his victims. Judge Bruce Davidson had this to say about Hansen's offending. CUT Our Court reporter, Ann Marie May was at today's sentencing. i/v
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17.30 HEADLINES
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17.35 BUSINESS
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Lawyers for the boys accused of a fatal dairy robbery say neither had a plan to hurt anyone when they went to the Henderson shop. A 14 year-old has been charged with murdering west Auckland dairy owner Arun Kumar, while a 13-year-old has been charged with manslaughter. Today defence lawyers for both boys summed up their cases at the High Court in Auckland. Our Auckland court reporter Edward Gay is covering the trial . i/v
European leaders are to hold an emergency summit next week after their finance ministers failed to make any progress towards a deal that would resolve the Greek debt crisis. Talks in Luxembourg broke up overnight - with officials saying no agreement was in sight, intensifying fears that Greece is heading for bankruptcy, and an exit from the euro. By the end of the month, Greece must make a large debt repayment to the International Monetary Fund - which today ruled out any further "grace period". The BBC's Chris Morris reports from Luxembourg PKG
Church bells have been ringing in the US city of Charleston as its distraught community mourns the nine victims shot dead by a white gunman in an historic African American church. As more details emerge about the 21-year-old shooter, a debate has flared over whether the Charleston attack should be regarded not only as a race hate crime but an act of domestic terorism. The ABC's Sarah Sedghi reports PKG
Litres of chemicals that could be turned into homebaked heroin have been stolen from the University of Canterbury. It's chemical department burgled overnight on Sunday, but the theft was not reported to the police until Wednesday while the University carried out its own internal investigation. Detective Sergeant Richard Quested fears they'll be used to manufacture illicit drugs. i/v
b/a Detective Sergeant Richard Quested says the police will be making further enquiries this weekend and are asking for anybody with any information to call them.
The Environment Minister is rubbishing claims by the Labour Party that he is scuttling a new scheme to recycle old tyres. Labour says the industry has spent four years developing a proposal, that was instigated by Nick Smith, but it looks likely to be ditched. Here's our political reporter, Amelia Langford. PKG
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17.45 MANU KORIHI with Eru Rerekura
The Minister of Māori Development is refuting allegations by the Labour Party that he tried to interfere with Māori Television's programming; Statistics New Zealand says the asset base of Māori businesses and authorities has grown by one billion dollars; A Far North teenager has made a complaint of assault against the former All Black Eric Rush - after a post-match fight last weekend; A dawn ceremony on Saturday to welcome in Matariki the Māori new year is returning to Maungakiekie - Auckland's One Tree Hill.
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Hong Kong's pro-Beijing law makers scored an embarassing own-goal today, after a walkout on a vote meant a controversial electoral reform package failed to get through. The package would have allowed people a direct vote for the city's next chief executive in 2017, but they could only pick from a selection of pre-screened, pro-Beijing candidates. Hong Kong's pro-democracy opposition calls it a "fake" democratic model, and had the numbers to vote it down when their opponents unexpectedly walked out. As the AFP correspondent in Hong Kong, Laura Manning, explains it ended in a embarassing failure for the ruling Communist Party. i/v
Almost 60 million people across the world, half of them children, are now fleeing war and persecution. The United Nations says worldwide displacement is at an all time high. The ABC's Natalie Whiting reports PKG
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Presenter: Mary Wilson, Jim Mora
Editor: Maree Corbett
Deputy editor: Phil Pennington
Producers: Mei Heron, Kate Gudsell, Duncan Snelling