Checkpoint for Friday 27 January 2012

6:55 PM.A Tainui kaumatua says the Waikato-Tainui iwi is challenging why wooden crates carrying Maori ancestral heads returned from France, weren't opened during an official powhiri; The co-leader or kaihautu… Read more Audio

6:36 PM.During last year's election campaign the National Party campaigned strongly on the theme of financial responsibility. It said it would get the Government's books back into surplus in 2014-15 and the… Read more Audio

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

6:27 PM.Some Kapiti Coast homeowners are outraged that a new expressway route will run through their properties. Audio

6:21 PM.In business news today, record dairy exports have helped the country post its first monthly trade surplus in five months. Statistics New Zealand says the surplus stood at 338 million in December, the… Read more Audio

6:16 PM.Christchurch City Councillor Sue Wells joins us. Audio

6:13 PM.Senior Government ministers have warned Christchurch councillors to stop their infighting. Audio

6:07 PM.Senior ministers have approved a bid by a Chinese investment company, Shanghai Pengxin, to buy the 16 dairy farms, which are in receivership. Audio

5:57 PM.To the Australian Open in Melbourne now and watching the action is our tennis correspondent Dave Luddy. Audio

5:54 PM.An independent review has concluded the recovery of the bodies in the Pike river mine could be finished by 2015 Audio

5:52 PM.An 18-year-old who used a laser to target planes trying to land at Auckland Airport, as well as a police helicopter, has appeared in court today. Audio

5:49 PM.The Reserve Bank Governor, Alan Bollard, has delivered bad news for Cantabrians, pushing back the start date for the rebuild of quake-hit Canterbury from the end of this year to the beginning of 2013.

5:46 PM.A Tainui kaumatua says the Waikato-Tainui iwi is challenging why wooden crates carrying Maori ancestral heads returned from France, weren't opened during an official powhiri; The Government will hold… Read more Audio

5:44 PM.Ground's been broken on building the first multi-storey building in the central Christchurch red zone, amid assurances it will exceed tough structural requirements brought in after the February quake.

5:43 PM.A light plane has crashed near the Desert Road, north of Waiuru. Audio

5:38 PM.The US is slashing nearly 100-thousand troops as part of a plan to cut 487 billion dollars in spending over the next decade. Audio

5:35 PM.The Government says it had no choice but to approve the sale of 16 North Island dairy farms to a Chinese company, and that the objections are pure xenophobia. Audio

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

5:25 PM.Military band enthusiasts are worried what will happen at ANZAC day parades if the number of Defence Force bands is slashed from ten to just three. Audio

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

5:18 PM.The Customs Service says it no longer has any power to stop the Norwegian yachtsman, Jarle Andhoey, from heading for the Southern Ocean. Audio

5:16 PM.Those Christchurch councillors have been warned at an unprecedented meeting with senior Government ministers today, to stop their infighting. Audio

5:15 PM.In a surprise move, we've just learned that the chief executive of Christchurch's city council will turn down his huge pay rise. Audio

5:07 PM.The Government's opponents are decrying its dairy farm sale decision today as unpatriotic and adding to a land grab by foreigners. Audio

5:00 PM.Govt's opponents decry Crafar decision, More from the Land Information Minister, The CEO of Christchurch city council turns down his huge pay rise, The latest from the meeting between ministers and… Read more Audio