Checkpoint for Thursday 18 September 2025

5:48 PM.Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about the Australian government announcing it will pursure a more ambitious effort to reduce climate emissions, aiming to hit a target somewhere… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Firefighters have contained a blaze in Canterbury that's destroyed a family's beloved vintage car collection. Crews rushed to an out-of-control burn-off fanned by strong winds in Southbridge yesterday… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:33 PM.The Black Ferns have had a rough run of injuries at the Rugby World Cup and they've had another key player go down ahead of the semi-final against Canada. Forward Jorja Miller has asked for privacy… Read more Audio

5:25 PM.A Canterbury company is producing alternative plant proteins in a deal with one of Asia's largest food import companies, Lacto Japan. Leaft foods extracts proteins from lucerne, a crop normally used… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.An economist and former finance minister are calling on Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis to resign. It comes in the wake of worse than expected GDP figures out today - which show our economy… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.A former top cop has joined a number of Kiwi blood cancer patients seeking cutting edge therapy overseas, as wait times grow for standard stem cell treatment in New Zealand. Stuart Lye was diagnosed… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.Graduates looking to start a career in the public service are finding themselves at a loose end, qualified and ready to jump into the workforce, but with nowhere to go. In the past two years close to… Read more Audio

4:37 PM.An overwhelming majority of New Zealanders support the government putting a cap on the amount councils can increase rates each year, according to the RNZ-Reid Research poll. In August it was announced… Read more Audio

4:33 PM.Brandon Smith has faced court for the first time since he was charged with drug supply and betting violations. The Kiwis hooker entered no plea this morning, meanwhile further texts have been leaked… Read more Audio

4:25 PM.A Hamilton man has been told by the council to move his shed because it's too close to the boundary fence, or be stung with a fine $20,000 a day for everyday the shed is non-compliant. David Seymour… Read more Audio

4:12 PM.US correspondent, Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about talk show host Jimmy Kimmel being taken off TV indefinitely, following comments Kimmel made about the killing of consercative influencer… Read more Audio

4:07 PM.The country is on the edge of a recession, according to Labour. New figures reveal a sharp contraction in Gross domestic product, the broad measure of economic growth. The economy shrunk, 0.9% in the… Read more Audio