Checkpoint for Wednesday 21 December 2011

6:51 PM.Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of artefacts along the Clutha River bank between Alexandra and Roxburgh. Audio

6:47 PM.A former senior policeman has become the first iwi relationships manager at the Ministry of Economic Development - working for its petroleum and minerals division; The Auditor General has found most… Read more Audio

6:38 PM.An American hunter says New Zealand is the safari for U.S trophy hunters. Audio

6:34 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:26 PM.Scientists who have created a deadly strain of bird flu which has the potential to infect and kill millons of people have agreed to censor key parts of their research. Audio

6:22 PM.The flow of people leaving New Zealand to live overseas has slowed in November, as fewer moved to Australia and more arrived from the UK. Audio

6:19 PM.At least 300 city council tenants are living in six earthquake prone apartment blocks in Wellington, and work to strengthen some of them is not due to start for several years. Audio

6:16 PM.The Auckland Council has found the problems which struck opening night celebrations for the Rugby World Cup in Auckland had their origins a year earlier. Audio

6:13 PM.The abuse case sparked an independent report into the West Auckland girl's abuse, which has found a total of 25 government and other agencies were involved in her life from when she was just four… Read more Audio

6:08 PM.An Auckland District Court judge has told a mother who was systematically abusing her two children that her behaviour amounted to nothing less than torture. Audio

5:57 PM.The captain and navigational officer of the container ship Rena, which ran aground off Tauranga, have been charged with wilfully attempting to pervert the course of Justice by altering the ship's… Read more Audio

5:51 PM.About 30 protestors have gathered inside the foyer of the Christchurch City Council to complain about a $68,000 pay rise for the council's chief executive. Audio

5:48 PM.The Auditor General has found most kura kaupapa Maori are free of financial problems; A former senior policeman has become the first iwi relationships manager at the Ministry of Economic Development -… Read more Audio

5:41 PM.The gap between what the country earns overseas and what it pays to foreigners continued to deteriorate in the September quarter. Audio

5:39 PM.Our political editor Brent Edwards joins us. Audio

5:36 PM.The Labour Party leader, David Shearer, has faced his first test in Parliament since being elected leader. Audio

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

5:28 PM.A hundred or more families in Nelson and Tasman will not be allowed back in their homes in time for Christmas, and some of them may not be back in before February. Audio

5:26 PM.The Auckland Council has given protestors who have been camping in the central city for more than two months, 48 hours to pack up and leave. Audio

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

5:20 PM.A man accused of fleeing the country with more than six million dollars after a bank error in 2009 flew back home this morning and this afternoon he appeared in court charged with theft and money… Read more Audio

5:12 PM.An independent report into the West Auckland girl's abuse says a total of 25 government and other agencies were involved in her life from when she was just four months old, and finds many of them… Read more Audio

5:07 PM.An Auckland District Court judge has told a mother who was systematically abusing her two children that her behaviour amounted to nothing less than torture. Audio

5:00 PM.A judge describes a mother's abuse of her two children as nothing less than torture. The man accused of fleeing with millions of Westpac dollars flies into Auckland and goes straight to court and… Read more Audio