Checkpoint for Friday 19 June 2015

5:00 PM.Flood stories from sopping Hokitika, John Kirwan quits as Blues coach after another season of losses, Port extension stopped after court case, Colin Craig stands down as Conservative leader, Man who… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.Fresh waves of rain have been sweeping Hokitika, compounding the misery of townsfolk forced to evacuate homes and others just trying to keep floodwaters out. Audio

5:10 PM.The Westland District Council chief executive Tanya Winter is coordinating the emergency response in Hokitika. Audio

5:14 PM.For weeks some rugby commentators have been describing Sir John Kirwan as a dead man walking. Audio

5:20 PM.Protesters have won their court action to stop Ports of Auckland extending Bledisloe Wharf. Audio

5:24 PM.Colin Craig has stood down as Conservative Party leader ahead of a vote by the board. Audio

5:26 PM.A man who extracted teeth from two partners, in one case during sex, is tonight beginning a 6-year jail sentence. Audio

5:33 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:37 PM.Lawyers for the boys accused of a fatal dairy robbery say neither had a plan to hurt anyone when they went to the Henderson shop. Audio

5:45 PM.Litres of chemicals that could be turned into homebaked heroin have been stolen from the University of Canterbury. Audio

5:48 PM.The Environment Minister is rubbishing claims by the Labour Party that he is scuttling a new scheme to recycle old tyres. Audio

5:50 PM.The Minister of Māori Development is refuting allegations by the Labour Party that he tried to interfere with Māori Television's programming; Statistics New Zealand says the asset base of Māori… Read more Audio

5:55 PM.Hong Kong's pro-Beijing law makers scored an embarassing own-goal today, after a walkout on a vote meant a controversial electoral reform package failed to get through. Audio

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

6:12 PM.Flood waters are still lapping the streets of Hokitika this evening as fresh waves of rain sweep along the sopping West Coast. Audio

6:17 PM.The plug's been pulled on work extending Bledisloe Wharf in Auckland after a court victory for protesters this afternoon. Audio

6:20 PM.In the southern US city of Charleston at least one black church will post a look-out on Sunday to warn those inside if a white stranger approaches. Audio

6:25 PM.Despite officials saying the deadly MERS outbreak in South Korea is starting to level off, people are still too terrified to go out and thousands of tourists continue to avoid the country. Audio

6:28 PM.An American research ship leaves Napier tomorrow on a mission to better understand the earthquake and tsunami risk from the undersea fault system off the coast of Gisborne. Audio

6:36 PM.It's been a tumultuous week for the Housing Minister, Nick Smith, as he tries to keep the Government's grand plans for Auckland housing on track. Audio

6:53 PM.Statistics New Zealand says the asset base of Māori businesses and authorities has grown by one billion dollars; A Far North teenager has made a complaint of assault against the former All Black Eric… Read more Audio

6:56 PM.Two teeth and a small bit of bone are the key to the discovery of big walking bat that lived 16 million years ago. Audio