Checkpoint for Friday 12 July 2013

6:52 PM.The whanau of the murdered service station attendant - Rodney Tahu - is praising the justice system for finally bringing the accused to account; Government staff will be heavily questioned by Te Arawa… Read more Audio

6:38 PM.The next major phase of the Government's welfare reforms comes into force on Monday. Audio

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

6:21 PM.A survey of real estate agents concludes the strong sellers market continues, but buyers are not scrambling to secure properties. Audio

6:17 PM.The government has backed down on plans to force teachers to use a five-million-dollar computer system to measure national standards in reading, writing and maths. Audio

6:08 PM.The Maori Party goes into its Annual General Meeting tonight hoping that it can put its leadership woes behind it. Audio

5:57 PM.The historic Kopu Bridge, south of Thames, is going to be demolished. Audio

5:54 PM.People in Central Otago with smoky chimneys face fines of up to 300 dollars a day under a new clampdown on air pollution. Audio

5:50 PM.Government staff will be heavily questioned by Te Arawa descendants on an idea of mineral exploration within their rohe; The whanau of the murdered service station attendant - Rodney Tahu - is… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.New research suggests that getting rid of industrial waste water by injecting it into the ground can trigger earthquakes big enough to destroy buildings. Audio

5:43 PM.The Auckland University of Technology is beginning an almost 200 million dollar expansion to more than quadruple student numbers at its South Auckland campus. Audio

5:36 PM.The National Party's two Pasifika MPs are being urged to break ranks to defeat the Sky City convention centre deal. Audio

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

5:26 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:21 PM.The company responsible for the Novopay school payroll system says it will lose 20-million-dollars setting up and running the troubled system. Audio

5:18 PM.The Human Rights Commission says it has not failed to meet last month's deadline for submissions on the spy agency bill and that John Key knows he's wrong to suggest it has. Audio

5:15 PM.An Auckland man has been sentenced to ten days in prison for refusing to serve on a jury because he was too busy at work. Audio

5:12 PM.Colin Hair is the spokesperson for the Tahu family, and is married to Rodney Tahu's widow Hana. Audio

5:08 PM.The murder of a man in Turangi 34 years ago has been called callous, brutal and cowardly by the Judge who has sentenced the 72-year old killer to jail for at least 10 years. Audio

5:00 PM.Judge calls killer callous, brutal and cowardly; Tahu family says a great weight lifted at Hallett sentencing; Man sentenced to prison for refusing to do jury service; The Human Rights Commission says… Read more Audio