Checkpoint for Wednesday 15 August 2012

6:56 PM.Families of people who've been raped, abused or killed have made emotional pleas to MPs to toughen bail laws. Audio

6:56 PM.The party of the deposed Fiji Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, says it is more determined than ever to carry on with his legacy. Audio

6:52 PM.MPs have been told that principals with no technological savvy are holding back their schools and their students. Audio

6:49 PM.The idea of Melbourne-style trams in Wellington has squeezed into the final three options for fixing the capital's transport woes. Audio

6:46 PM.The Ngapuhi runanga leader Sonny Tau has thrown down a challenge to the Crown over the mandate to settle the iwi's Treaty claims; Te Puni Kokiri says it's frozen the annual grant made to the National… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.New Zealand's championing of a market in carbon credits covering the Asia-Pacific region has been knocked back in regional trade talks. Audio

6:41 PM.There is standing room only at a public meeting in Whanganui where corrections officials are explaining details about the release of the serial sex offender, Stewart Murray Wilson. Audio

6:41 PM.There is standing room only at a public meeting in Whanganui where corrections officials are explaining details about the release of the serial sex offender, Stewart Murray Wilson. Audio

6:38 PM.Farming families in North Otago are praying for sunshine after heavy rain that flooded paddocks and cut off about 20 houses. Audio

6:24 PM.A cargo ship has been detained in Wellington after straying too close to the rocks at the harbour entrance. Audio

6:20 PM.An increase in high rollers from Asia has helped boost profits at the country's listed casino operator, Sky City Entertainment Group. Audio

6:16 PM.The Finance Minister has been forced to defend the Government's intention to let the Transport Agency borrow large sums of money to pay for new roads. Audio

6:12 PM.The disgraced Belarussian shotputter Nadzeya Ostapchuk is not giving up her gold medal to Valerie Adams without a fight. Audio

6:08 PM.New Zealand's Olympic athletes have arrived home jubilant, but exhausted. Audio

5:54 PM.A Hamilton property where a man died while being restrained by police in the early hours of this morning remains cordoned off. Audio

5:50 PM.The Ngapuhi runanga leader Sonny Tau has thrown down a challenge to the crown over the mandate to settle the iwi's Treaty claims; Te Puni Kokiri says it's frozen the annual grant made to the National… Read more Audio

5:46 PM.After nearly a year, the bow section of the container ship the Rena is finally being removed from Astrolabe reef. Audio

5:43 PM.The Social Development Minister Paula Bennett is denying she breached a beneficiary's privacy despite an official finding otherwise and says she'd consider doing it again. Audio

5:40 PM.In what's been a major test case, Australia's highest court has rejected a challenge by four global tobacco giants to the government's plain packaging laws. Audio

5:36 PM.The man whose company designed the CTV building has accepted full responsibility for its failings - but he continues to blame his engineer. Audio

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

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

5:29 PM.The police are investigating a scam targetting hundreds of golfers across the country. Audio

5:24 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:20 PM.Students say teenagers will think twice before writing text messages if cyber-bullying is made a crime. Audio

5:16 PM.The owner of the skydiving plane that crashed at Fox Glacier killing all nine on board has admitted that in hindsight he now realises the plane was being overloaded. Audio

5:10 PM.The chef de mission of New Zealand's Olympic team is Dave Currie. He was among those who arrived back in Auckland this morning. Audio

5:07 PM.New Zealand's olympic athletes have arrived home jubilant, but exhausted. Audio

5:00 PM.A triumphant welcome home for New Zealand's Olympic stars. Making teenage cyber bullies criminals and the scam that's ripping off unsuspecting golfers . Audio