Checkpoint for Thursday 20 November 2014

6:51 PM.An expert in Maori health and housing is accusing the Government of selling off a large portion of state housing - leaving tangata whenua vulnerable and their health at risk; A youth leader in Kawerau… Read more Audio

6:43 PM.Society is becoming unsustainable because of the speed of modern life. A leading American philosopher says speed has become the new measure of success, but it's taking a huge toll financially… Read more Audio

6:41 PM.The next generation of banknotes has been unveiled, showing off all the familiar faces, flowers and birds but in bolder brighter colours. Audio

6:38 PM.The Chinese President has assured New Zealanders they have nothing to fear from the free trade deal he did with Australia just before he got here. Audio

6:35 PM.A coroner investigating the death of a visiting Papua New Guinean soldier has heard how a fellow soldier pleaded with her superior to call for an ambulance, but was ignored. Audio

6:25 PM.The names of the three young people who died in a house fire in Hamilton early on Saturday have been officially released. Audio

6:20 PM.TV shows for veteran American comedian, Bill Cosby, are being pulled amid allegations he sexually assaulted more than a dozen women. Audio

6:15 PM.As you heard there, the Food and Grocery Council is standing by its claims about Countdown's behaviour. Audio

6:12 PM.The Commerce Commission has cleared one of the country's largest supermarket chains of allegations of anti-competitive behaviour. Audio

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

5:53 PM.A doctor says a Crown agency that is unexpectedly being axed actually quadrupled some backoffice costs at her DHB, when it was created to save money. Audio

5:50 PM.Rangatahi are being encouraged to take on leadership roles when pushing the message of preventing suicide. Community groups, leaders and researchers have met in Auckland as part of an annual hui for a… Read more Audio

5:47 PM.A petrol station attendant is considering legal action saying he's had his pay docked hundreds of dollars for motorists driving off without paying for fuel. Audio

5:44 PM.Samoa's rugby players will go ahead and play England this weekend because of the threat, they say, of having a landmark test against the All Blacks taken off them if they don't. Audio

5:39 PM.A Dunedin City Council report has looked into demolishing the city's covered rugby stadium built for 200 million dollars just three years ago. Audio

5:36 PM.New Zealand shares were little changed today, the benchmark Top 50 Index edging up 5 points to 5527. Audio

5:29 PM.A police watchdog finding reveals a patrol car butted into a fleeing four wheel drive on Auckland's northern motorway in the middle of a weekday, endangering other drivers. Audio

5:26 PM.Auckland councillors have voted to push forward with a massive IT project that it was confirmed today is 100-million dollars over budget. Audio

5:21 PM.Earlier, President Xi was welcomed to New Zealand with a haka, powhiri, and 21 gun salute at Government House. Audio

5:17 PM.In the strongest push yet for controls on foreign drivers, a southern coroner is calling for more police powers to get unsafe motorists off the road, and for tougher tests by rental companies. Audio

5:13 PM.Countdown's managing director is Dave Chambers. Audio

5:12 PM.Shane Jones refused to talk to Checkpoint, referring all our questions to his one-time colleague MP Clayton Cosgrove. Audio

5:07 PM.The Commerce Commission has dismissed accusations made by Shane Jones that Countdown supermarkets illegally threatened and intimidated their suppliers, demanding millions of dollars in back payments. Audio

5:00 PM.A supermarket chain is cleared of accusations in Parliament that it blackmailed suppliers. A coroner ups the ante for more controls over foreign drivers and how a patrol car butted into a fleeing four… Read more Audio