Across the Ditch: In this week’s Across the Ditch bulletin Australian radio FiveAA.com.au’s Peter Godfrey and EveningReport.nz’s Selwyn Manning discuss: Weather comparison Latest NZ headlines In depth: ITEM ONE – Teina Pora Compensation New Zealand Government announces $2.25 million compensation will be paid to Teina Pora after wrongfully being convicted of the murder of South Auckland woman, Susan Burdett. Teina Pora served 21 years in prison after being found guilty twice, despite there being no evidence of him having been at the murder scene and the fact that DNA extracted from semen found at the scene matched the notorious lone wolf serial rapist Malcome Rewa.
Teina Pora is affected by Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Shortly after the killing of Susan Burdett in 1992 the Police issued a reward for information leading to the conviction of the prime offender.
Pora believed that if he made up a story, and the Police believed him, then he would get the reward. Instead, he found himself confessing to a murder he didn’t commit.
After a persuasive media investigation into the case by journalists Paula Penfold and Eugene Bingham, and earlier work done by the New Zealand Herald’s Phil Taylor, Teina Pora’s case was tested at the Privy Council. It found in favour of Teina Pora and quashed the Crown convictions.
The Minister of Justice, and the New Zealand Police have unreservedly apologised for this most awful injustice.
Meanwhile, serial rapist Malcolm Rewa remains in prison under a preventive detention order, and the murder of Susan Burdett remains unsolved. Surely now, the Police ought to put Rewa back before the courts and seek justice for Susan Burdett and her family.
http://livenews.co.nz/2016/06/15/teina-pora-to-receive-compensation/
http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2016/06/15/nz-police-comment-on-teina-pora-announcement/
http://livenews.co.nz/2016/06/15/pora-case-a-case-to-learn-from/
ITEM TWO – Meth Bust: New Zealand Police bust part of a methamphetamine ring with a HUGE haul of P (ice) valued at $448 million on the street. The bust followed people in Northland, around the Kaitaia and Ninety Mile Beach area reporting unusual and suspicious activity in the area. Strangers were seen attempting to launch a board into the ocean off the sandy beach. And vehicles said to be from out of town, and a few people paying locals large sums of money to help them launch the boat, raised suspicions even higher.The Police investigated and found suitcases packed with the drug onboard the boat and later found even more buried in sand dunes at the remote location.
Three men have appeared in court charged with relative drug offences. Police investigations are continuing.
http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2016/06/15/update-on-northland-methamphetamine-investigation/
SPORT:The All Blacks beat Wales last Saturday. The first half was a bit of a worry for All Black fans and saw Wales go into the break ahead with 18 points. But the second half was a demolition by the All Blacks with a win for New Zealand 39 – 21.
The All Blacks winning streak against Wales going back to 1953 looks fairly likely to continue this weekend, with Wales having been beaten by Waikato’s provincial Union the Chiefs 41 – 6.
The All Blacks haven’t been beaten here in New Zealand in 39 winning streak goes all the way back to September 2009 when the Spring Boks beat the ABs at Hamilton.
BUT… stats are one thing, to maintain the standards displayed by the previous All Black era, this generation of players will have to build on their second half performance from last weekend, and take it up a notch or two.
Across the Ditch broadcasts live weekly on Australia’s Fiveaa.com.au and webcasts on EveningReport.nz LiveNews.co.nz and ForeignAffairs.co.nz. Image of Teina Pora courtesy of https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/teinaporawhanautrust
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