Checkpoint for Thursday 24 January 2013

6:52 PM.Production began today of a new award-winning roll bar for quad bikes that farming groups hope will cut down on deaths and injuries. Audio

6:48 PM.The Ratana Church is supporting a call by the Mana movement for an alliance to be formed with the Maori Party; Meanwhile, at Ratana Pa - more than 500 guests have been welcomed onto the marae near… Read more Audio

6:44 PM.Controversial experiments with a mutant bird flu virus will resume after a year-long break triggered by a worldwide debate about the safety risks. Audio

6:41 PM.A community housing agency says the Green Party's proposal to allow state house tenants to rent-to-buy their homes would help poor families into home ownership. Audio

6:37 PM.Both major political parties have been making a strong pitch for the Maori vote at the Ratana celebrations near Whanganui today. Audio

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

6:21 PM.Buoyant dairy and meat sectors and reconstruction in Canterbury has helped to lift overall manufacturing activity in December, though only slightly. Audio

6:16 PM.The Southland regional council chair who made a prank call to live television will keep her job, after narrowly surviving a vote on her future. Audio

6:12 PM.The chair of the Fonterra Shareholders' Council, Ian Brown. Audio

6:08 PM.Unwanted chemicals have been discovered in Fonterra's milk prompting fears that trading partners will think New Zealand's dairy exports are contaminated. Audio

5:56 PM.The U.S. military will formally end its ban on women serving in front-line combat roles, in a move that could open thousands of fighting jobs to female service members. Audio

5:53 PM.Raised levels of contaminants close to the wreck of the container ship Rena have triggered further testing to make sure they don't get into the food chain. Audio

5:50 PM.Firefighters are still battling a large blaze on Great Barrier Island that's flared up again in the heat and humidity today. Audio

5:47 PM.The Ratana Church is supporting a call by the Mana movement for an alliance to be formed with the Maori Party; Meanwhile, at Ratana Pa - more than 500 guests have been welcomed onto the marae near… Read more Audio

5:41 PM.The chairperson of the Southland regional council is vowing not to be taken down by what she calls dirty politics, after keeping her job in a narrow vote. Audio

5:37 PM.The two largest fertiliser companies in New Zealand have suspended the use of some products used by dairy farmers after unwanted chemicals were discovered in Fonterra's milk. Audio

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

5:31 PM.Two men have been arrested after thousands of dollars worth of drugs were hidden at Auckland Airport for almost four years. Audio

5:28 PM.It's time for our Australian Open update now, and our tennis correspondent Bill Scott has the latest on the semi-final action. Audio

5:23 PM.The battle for the Maori vote at the next election is ratcheting up, with both major political parties making a strong pitch at the Ratana celebrations near Whanganui today. Audio

5:20 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:18 PM.New Zealand rescuers are racing against time and battling fierce gales to find a plane carrying three Canadians that's thought to have crashed in Antarctica. Audio

5:12 PM.Melamine is a special worry for trade because of several high profile cases of contamination of milk in China with the protein boosting chemical since 2008. Audio

5:08 PM.Carol Barnao is the Deputy Director General Standards at the Ministry for Primary Industries. Audio

5:07 PM.Unwanted chemicals have been discovered in Fonterra's milk sparking fears that trading partners will think New Zealand's lynchpin dairy exports are contaminated. Audio

5:00 PM.Chemicals' discovery in milk sparks trade fears, Race on to find crashed Canadians in Antarctica, Battle for Maori vote heats up at Ratana and Drugs hidden at Auckland airport for four years. Audio