Checkpoint for Tuesday 10 August 2021

5:07 PM.The Energy Minister is calling out the power companies, saying last night's rolling blackouts on one of the coldest nights of the year were entirely preventable.

Thousands of households were plunged… Read more Audio

5:11 PM.Transpower has apologised over the electricity outages. The company's general manager of grid development John Clarke told Checkpoint no system is perfect, but he is assuring customers electricity… Read more Video, Audio

5:16 PM.Energy Minister Megan Woods has blamed Monday's power cuts on commercial decisions made by electricity companies.

Thousands of New Zealanders were left in the dark on one of the coldest nights of the… Read more Video, Audio

5:28 PM.Pressure is mounting on authorities to explain what happened with the flip-flopping health advice given to workers at the Port of Tauranga.

More than 70 workers spent time on board the Rio de La… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6267272527001 Video, Audio

5:39 PM.There's a call for crew onboard foreign ships to be tested for Covid-19 before they dock in New Zealand ports.

More than 90 workers at Tauranga port were originally stood down and told to get tested… Read more Video, Audio

5:43 PM.Cycling New Zealand says it's deeply saddened by the death of Rio Olympic cyclist, Olivia Podmore, and denies it failed her.

The 24-year-old sprint cyclist died suddenly in Cambridge yesterday. She'd… Read more Video, Audio

5:47 PM.A man who punched a young MMA fighter in the head, has been sentenced to six months' home detention.

Fau Vake later died and his friend has likened the sentence to a Covid-19 restriction - not… Read more Audio

5:51 PM.The National Party's liberal and conservative factions are strained as the party reckons with voting against a ban on gay conversion therapy.

National was the only political party that didn't support… Read more Audio

5:54 PM.A stopper's been placed on drunken teenage parties at a popular South Island camp ground - with a booze ban put in place.

Loch Laird, near Otematata, is a popular haunt for high school-aged students… Read more Audio

6:07 PM.The Energy Minister's after a please explain after the lights went out for thousands of customers on Monday night, as there was not enough power to go around.

Households were plunged into darkness… Read more Video, Audio

6:14 PM.While personal choices matter the government is being told all the real power to fight climate change is in its hands.

And a young Wellington climate leader and city councillor says individuals'… Read more Audio

6:18 PM.It's a code red for the NZ blood Service. About 30,000 people a year need the life saving gift of blood and plasma.

And the service needs more people to put their hands up and arms out to keep up… Read more Video, Audio