Checkpoint for Thursday 23 October 2014

6:54 PM.The collapse of NZ's finance companies during the period of the global financial crisis was predictable. Audio

6:49 PM.Some staff at Television New Zealand are angry and disappointed that their jobs could be on the line, after the broadcaster announced it wants to outsource producers for its Maori and Pacific… Read more Audio

6:46 PM.The Heart Foundation says exaggerated claims are being made about the benefits of coconut oil and people should stick to unsaturated plant oils. Audio

6:43 PM.Big changes in the way acute patients are admitted to Wellington Hospital are being credited with it hitting a government target for emergency department waiting times after years of trying. Audio

6:41 PM.A shopkeeper has warned the Wellington City Council that if synthetic drugs are allowed back into Cuba Mall it will be disastrous. Audio

6:35 PM.The Ottawa shootout's triggered a beefing up of parliamentary security on both sides of the Tasman today. Audio

6:26 PM.Activist Penny Bright has today begged a district court judge to stop Auckland Council selling her home for unpaid rates. Audio

6:23 PM.Claims about the health benefits of coconut oil have been scotched by the country's leading specialist in oils and fats... who says it could in fact increase the risk of heart disease. Audio

6:20 PM.A music and drama teacher who indecently assaulted girls was on track towards worse offending when he was caught. Audio

6:18 PM.The Conservative Party MP Maurice Vellacott was escorting a school group into Parliament when he heard a gunshot. Audio

6:17 PM.The parliament building in Ottawa was full of MPs holding legislative meetings when the gunman attacked. Audio

6:11 PM.Security for Canada's politicians is under intense scrutiny now after a gunman shot and killed a soldier before calmly getting into his car, driving through parliament building security, and then… Read more Audio

6:06 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:57 PM.Ngati Whatua Orakei officially welcomed a Sea Shepherd vessal in Auckland this morning because the tribe supports its cause to protect whales. The crew aboard the Sam Simon is here to finalise… Read more Audio

5:53 PM.Dozens of jobs are on the line as TVNZ announces it will no longer produce all but one of its own Maori and Pasific programmes. Audio

5:43 PM.A Canadian terror expert says the gunman who stormed Ottawa's Parliament today was probably a 'wildcard' jihadist attacker. Audio

5:40 PM.The Government has continued to defend the Prime Minister's right to refuse to answer questions about his contact with rightwing blogger Cameron Slater. Audio

5:38 PM.The police are taking the investigative journalist Nicky Hager to court in a bid to get access to the source material for his book Dirty Politics. Audio

5:36 PM.The New Zealand dollar dropped against all the currencies we follow after inflation came in at just 0-point-3 percent for the September quarter. Audio

5:29 PM.It looks like Aucklanders will have a Christmas after all. The giant, and ever so slightly creepy Santa which has looked out over the central city for over 50 years, faced the sack after the group… Read more Audio

5:24 PM.Two police officers, worried about a dog handler's excessive use of force triggered an investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority. Audio

5:21 PM.The Prime Minister is downplaying whether there would be any added risk to New Zealand if it gets involved in the fight against Islamic State. Audio

5:19 PM.New Zealand's Parliament has tightened security in the wake of the shooting. Audio

5:14 PM.When Michael Zehef-Bibeau gunman stormed the parliament building it was full of MPs who'd been been holding legislative meetings. Audio

5:07 PM.A Canadian convert to Islam has been identified as the gunman who killed a soldier then stormed the Parliament in Ottawa, before being shot dead himself. Audio

5:00 PM.Canada's gunman identified as Ottawa vows to redouble its fight against terrorist groups. New Zealand's Parliament tightens security and Auckland's creepy Santa is rescued. Audio