Checkpoint for Thursday 8 December 2011

6:52 PM.The health and environmentally conscientious wine lovers may now have a reason to raise a glass. Audio

6:45 PM.The Associate Minister of Education, Dr Pita Sharples, says a glowing report on Te Wananga Takiura confirms there's now an established and well-run Maori teachers' college; The Maori Trustee is making… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.A family court lawyer says the convicted rapist living next-door to his victim in Invercargill could be breaking a protection order. Audio

6:39 PM.Protesters occupying Auckland's Aotea Square caused several disruptions during a court hearing today as the Auckland Council attempts to have them evicted. Audio

6:35 PM.One of Australia's most senior criminal investigators is beginning a 22 year prison sentence for conspiring to import nearly 160 million dollars of drugs. Audio

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

6:24 PM.The property valuer, QV, says nationwide property values continued to increase in November. Audio

6:21 PM.Dolls, goat skulls and yellow plastic tubing all became famous works of art in the hands of the New Plymouth-based artist Don Driver who died this morning. Audio

6:17 PM.The Green Party is backing calls for an investigation into the Government's management of the retail deposit guarantee scheme, following fraud charges laid against five people connected to South… Read more Audio

6:15 PM.The safety manager at the Pike River mine says he was too intimidated by the chief executive to raise any problems. Audio

6:13 PM.A 40-year-old man has been charged with importing cocaine, following the death of a Columbian woman after a bag of drugs burst inside her in Auckland. Audio

6:06 PM.James Hemana is tonight awaiting sentencing for murdering his girlfriend's baby. Audio

5:57 PM.The first New Zealanders to take part in the Antarctic Ice Marathon races arrived back in the country this morning. Audio

5:50 PM.The Maori Trustee is making changes to the way the Government body is being run; The Wairoa District Mayor, Les Probert, says a new model of health care in northern Hawke's Bay is long overdue; The… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Economists say the Reserve Bank has set a high bar for cutting the Official Cash Rate despite acknowledging that the crisis in Europe is hitting the recovery here. Audio

5:38 PM.Social workers say they'd have done more if they'd known the violent history of a man convicted today of murdering a 6 month old baby. Audio

5:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:29 PM.People living near the Ports of Auckland and Tauranga are being asked to look out for exotic, disease carrying mosquitos which have been found on a visiting cargo ship. Audio

5:25 PM.A man wearing a Halloween mask has viciously beaten a 62-year-old woman during a robbery of the Hobsonville RSA. Audio

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

5:17 PM.The Governor of the Reserve Bank says the crisis in Europe would have to worsen dramatically before he will cut the Official Cash Rate. Audio

5:13 PM.The man who oversaw safety systems at Pike River mine says he was too intimidated by the chief executive to raise safety problems. Audio

5:09 PM.A man the Crown says was jealous of his girlfriend's baby has been found guilty of murdering the six month old. Audio

5:00 PM.Guilty verdict in Cezar Taylor case; Pike safety boss calls CEO intimidating; OCR left at record low; A vicious attack during RSA robbery; Disease carrying mosquitos found on cargo ship. Audio