Checkpoint for Thursday 28 August 2014

6:50 PM.A hearing's been told an Earthquake Commission engineer signed off a home as safe when questions remain whether it is or not. Audio

6:46 PM.The Iwi Leaders Group is backing the Labour Party's policy to lower power prices if it wins the election; A Maori anti-smoking advocate would like to encourage an Australian Aboriginal health leader… Read more Audio

6:40 PM.A 40-year-old man has died at Lyttelton Port this afternoon after falling out of a scissor lift. Audio

6:37 PM.New research about the feelings of unity you get from synchronized work-outs, like marching, could shine a light on the dangers of the militarisation of the police. Audio

6:36 PM.The New Zealand dollar bounced around today, rising to a high of 84 US cents on the back of some strong economic data out of Australia. Audio

6:28 PM.The company that runs the Rotorua luge has admitted its emergency plan wasn't up to scratch but blames a nasty crash on the rider going too fast. Audio

6:18 PM.The U.S President Barack Obama has ruled out working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to root out Islamic State forces that now control large parts of Syria's north. Audio

6:15 PM.A director of a failed finance company has been charged with breaching his home detention sentence. Audio

6:11 PM.The police have been criticised for using unjustified and excessive force when they deal with 'out of control' parties. Audio

6:07 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:57 PM.A cyberbullying victim says the minister in-charge of anti-online bullying laws Judith Collins, needs to stand down from the cause if she continues her friendship with the Whale Oil blogger Cameron… Read more Audio

5:52 PM.The Public Service Association says 66 jobs will be lost at Te Puni Korkiri, cutting the workforce down to just under 300. Leadership at the Ministry for Maori Development describes the restructure as… Read more Audio

5:47 PM.Qantas may have announced a two point eight billion dollar loss today, the worst result in Australian aviation history, but that's not stopping its Chief Executive from forcasting a dramatic return to… Read more Audio

5:43 PM.A senior manager at Dunedin City Council has quit over the Citifleet fraud investigation. Audio

5:41 PM.A worker has died at Lyttelton Port after a scissor lift toppled over this afternoon. Audio

5:38 PM.The latest Herald-Digi poll just out shows support for National rising, and support for Labour and the Greens falling, despite the Dirty Politics saga. Audio

5:35 PM.The New Zealand dollar bounced around today, rising to a high of 84 US cents on the back of some strong economic data out of Australia. Audio

5:27 PM.Higher rates, new charges for drivers and a squeeze on Auckland Council's own running costs are on the cards, as part of the city's proposed ten-year budget. Audio

5:22 PM.The police have been criticised for using unjustified and excessive force when they deal with 'out of control' parties. Audio

5:18 PM.Newly released documents attributed to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden suggest New Zealand's spy agency is sharing metadata with the United States. Audio

5:15 PM.The man who raped and murdered a Christchurch woman and attacked two tourists while high on P, spat as he left the dock after his sentencing today. Audio

5:11 PM.Two men are facing the first-ever people trafficking charges laid in this country. Audio

5:07 PM.Police have been illegally closing down parties because they didn't know the law - and the force used was unjustified and excessive. Audio

5:00 PM.Police using unjustified and excessive force to illegally close down parties. For the first time in NZ, two men are charged with people trafficking and higher rates and new charges in Auckland ten… Read more Audio