Checkpoint for Friday 17 September 2021

5:08 PM.Police are investigating the death of three children in Timaru, after officers were alerted to the triple homicide last night.

Emergency services were called to a Queen Street flat in the suburb of… Read more Video, Audio

5:12 PM.The case of the NPC rugby players who wrongly obtained exemptions to travel out of Auckland's level 4 lockdown is now in the hands of police, MBIE has confirmed.  Read more Video, Audio

5:14 PM.The trans-Tasman bubble has no chance of re-inflating for at least another eight weeks.

Meanwhile, with Covid-19 case numbers continuing to increase in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian… Read more Audio

5:15 PM.A Mount Maunganui bakery has been forced to close for 14 days and throw out all their stock after a Covid-19-infected truck driver from Auckland visited twice.

There are 11 new cases of Covid in the… Read more Audio

5:22 PM.The door may still be ajar for Auckland to host the America's Cup in 2024. A decision on a host city was due to be announced today.

Instead, Team New Zealand says they need more time to assess three… Read more Audio

5:25 PM.Auckland businessman Mark Dunphy explains his plan to keep the America's Cup regatta on home turf. Read more Audio

5:28 PM.A small college just south of Auckland's border is stretched to the max because several staff cannot get Covid-19 travel exemptions.

Among those locked out of level two land is Te Kauwhata College's… 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=6272952857001 Video, Audio

5:38 PM.Police searching for missing King Country man, Thomas Phillips are keen to know the whereabouts of two motorbikes he owned.

Mr Phillips and his three children haven't been seen since last Saturday at… Read more Audio

5:43 PM.There is concern the vaccine rollout is not reaching people using mental health and addiction services - people who were prioritised by the government for earlier access to the Pfizer jab.

Advocacy… Read more Video, Audio

5:55 PM.The National Party says the Auckland terrorist's immigration history is a glaring omission in the government review of the September the third attacks.

Charities say huge gaps that exist in services… Read more Audio

6:10 PM.The family at the centre of a homicide in Timaru had only left MIQ a week ago after arriving in the country from South Africa.

Three young children were found dead after police were called to a… Read more Video, Audio

6:13 PM.An update on our earlier story now regarding the NPC rugby unions who wrongly obtained exemptions for players to travel out of Auckland's level 4 lockdown.

  Read more Video, Audio

6:15 PM.The government has decided not to bring forward the school holidays despite calls from exhausted parents and the opposition.

The school break will go ahead from October 2 - meaning Auckland parents… Read more Audio

6:16 PM.A pet shelter in Auckland for animals from abusive households says demand for their service has tripled since lockdown began.

Since opening just two months ago Pet Refuge is getting more and more… Read more Video, Audio

6:19 PM.New Zealanders wanting to welcome refugees into their community will be able to apply for a new sponsorship visa from next month.

The sponsorship programme is part of an expanded trial, in which… Read more Audio

6:24 PM.After an extended absence rugby's Heartland Championship returns on Saturday afternoon.

New Zealand's 12 smallest provincial unions haven't played for almost two years as a result of the Covid-19… Read more Audio