Checkpoint for Wednesday 29 April 2015

6:49 PM.MPs condemn Indonesian executions; French delegation greeted; New NZ First MP Ria Bond welcomed by colleagues; Greens take new approach to question time; Simon Bridges steps up to answer questions on… Read more Audio

6:45 PM.A founding member of Te Wananga o Aotearoa says the institute's faced huge challenges - including being forced to build its headquarters on a rubbish tip. The Education Minister, Hekia Parata, says… Read more Audio

6:43 PM.Two thousand New Zealanders have applied for a Homestart grant to buy their first home since it kicked in at the start of the month. Audio

6:39 PM.A five million dollar apartment fire in Melbourne has sparked fears about a cheap aluminium cladding. Audio

6:36 PM.The slump in dairy prices has led to New Zealand's largest annual trade deficit in nearly six years, of of 2.4 billion dollars. Audio

6:27 PM.Three thousands police and National Guard troops are patroling the streets of the US city of Baltimore tonight as hundreds of people still remain outside, hours after a night time curfew. Audio

6:24 PM.People struggling to pay the rent in Christchurch want to get the same help on offer to Aucklanders on low incomes. Audio

6:20 PM.The bodies of two Australian drug smugglers have been handed over to Australian officials in Indonesia after their executions early this morning. Audio

6:16 PM.A missing New Zealander Alicia Scroggins has been confirmed alive and well after being unaccounted for since the earthquake in Nepal. Audio

6:11 PM.In Nepal the government has admitted making mistakes responding to Saturday's massive earthquake, saying the death toll could reach 10 thousand. Audio

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

5:58 PM.The Finance Minister has confirmed the Government will set up a voucher system to fund services for people with disabilities. Audio

5:55 PM.Three hours into a night time curfew and hundreds of people still remain on the streets of the US city of Baltimore. Audio

5:52 PM.The Maori education provider Te Wananga o Aotearoa turns 30 this year. In that time it's faced huge challenges including being forced to build its headquarters on a rubbish tip. Te Manu Korihi's… Read more Audio

5:48 PM.Over a hundred people could lose their jobs at Transfield, the company that manages Chorus' fibre and copper network. Audio

5:46 PM.The Unite Union has announced it will represent Amanda Bailey and support whatever action she decides to take. Audio

5:43 PM.Serial litigant, Graham McCready, has officially filed court papers, accusing the Prime Minister of assaulting an Auckland waitress by pulling her ponytail. Audio

5:40 PM.The companies running the Maui gasfield off Taranaki have revealed there is plenty of gas still to be pumped out. Audio

5:37 PM.A big fishing company has been hit with 83 thousand dollars in penalties for a crewman falling to his death through a hatch on a tuna boat. Audio

5:34 PM.The currency market is taking a cautious approach ahead of key statements by the central banks in New Zealand and the United States. Audio

5:27 PM.The Prime Minister is under attack for revealing New Zealand troops are in Dubai on their way to Iraq. Audio

5:19 PM.Australia's recalled its ambassador to Jakarta over the double Bali execution but has stopped short of saying there'll be any trade retaliation. Audio

5:17 PM.The man accused of raping and murdering Blessie Gotingco says he ran her down by accident and took her home because he was on a curfew. Audio

5:10 PM.And as survivors stranded in remote villages and towns wait for aid and relief to arrive, officials have admitted mistakes were been made in their initial response to the massive earthquake Audio

5:07 PM.Desperate Nepalis are mobbing relief helicopters, with one man running into a tail rotor and being killed. Audio

5:00 PM.Desperate quake survivors mob choppers in Nepal. Talley's is fined 83 thousand dollars over the death of a crewman and John Key under attack for telling foreign media about NZ troops on their way to… Read more Audio