Checkpoint for Monday 3 October 2011

6:50 PM.New figures out today show that overall reported crime has dropped by nearly 6 percent. Audio

6:46 PM.A Northland iwi chair says a decade long battle against American owned Carrington Farms and the Far North District Council, has been financially and mentally taxing; A lecturer specialising in Maori… Read more Audio

6:41 PM.Refugees fleeing famine and fighting in the Horn of Africa continue to pour from Somalia across the border into Kenya. Audio

6:36 PM.To Latin America now where our correspondent in Argentina has the latest on how rugby fans there are rating the Pumas chances against the All Blacks in the quarter-finals. Audio

6:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:26 PM.Some city councillors in Hamilton are angry over what they believe was a rushed end to the city's V8 race. Audio

6:23 PM.The SPCA is backing calls for dog owners in Auckland to have to pass a test so they can be licensed to own their pet. Audio

6:20 PM.Tower says insurance premiums will increase by a fifth to a third on average, after it paid more to get reinsurance coverage. Audio

6:10 PM.The Defence Force has laid out a three billion dollar plan to unite the Army, Navy and Air Force, buy better training planes and build the SAS a new indoor shooting range. Audio

6:08 PM.All Black Dan Carter has spoken for the first time about being out of the World Cup and the crippling injury which has forced his departure. Audio

5:54 PM.Dunedin is enjoying the boost brought by up to 30,000 extra tourists in the city for the Rugby World Cup. Audio

5:51 PM.A parliamentary committte is recommending a more independent panel to hear complaints against Child Youth and Family and closer monitoring of how those investigations are managed. Audio

5:48 PM.The Labour MP for Christchurch East, Lianne Dalziel, says the government's draft recovery strategy has failed to engage Cantabrians and the council should now be given overall responsibility for the… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Ngai Tahu's property portfolio has taken a direct hit from the Christchurch earthquake - losing value and suffering damage; A Northland iwi says a decade long battle to protect a large ancient burial… Read more Audio

5:41 PM.A former Silver Ferns Coach says New Zealand will be too good for England in tonight's netball test in Auckland, despite having three new players in the side. Audio

5:38 PM.Questions are being asked in Tonga about how a man convicted for his role in the Princess Ashika sinking has walked free after only serving a six-month jail term. Audio

5:35 PM.The Prime Minister has shrugged off last week's credit downgrade as his Government retains its substantial lead in the opinion polls. Audio

5:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:28 PM.The Warriors may not be returning home triumphant from last night's NRL final but they are still winners in the eyes of their fans who have turned out in force this afternoon to welcome them back. Audio

5:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:18 PM.The Defence Force has revealed how it plans to do more with less. Audio

5:18 PM.In the largest property appraisal ever carried out in New Zealand, the Auckland Council has re-valued the half-million properties that now fall within its extended boundary. Audio

5:10 PM.Police figures show it's fallen nearly 50 percent in the last year, with 34 murders in the year to June. Audio

5:07 PM.Dan Carter has spoken for the first time about being out of the World Cup and the crippling injury which has forced his departure. Audio

5:00 PM.For the first time Dan Carter talks about his World Cup hopes being dashed. There's been a big drop in the number of murders and huge swings in Auckland property values. Audio