Checkpoint Podcast Options

5:25 PM.Tired, cold and cut off from communications - dozens of Southland farmers are struggling to milk their cows and have had to rely on generators. Last week's devastating storm collided with peak milking… Read more Audio

5:17 PM."Disgusted, absolutely ridiculous and past being disappointed". Those are just some of the reaction from Principals and teachers to the government's proposed primary school curriculum. The overnight… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.Trees are one of the root causes of power outages, it is costing customers big time and the line companies want urgent law changes to deal with the problem. About 95 percent of the outages in… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.Hornets are causing a biosecurity buzz in Auckland. A queen yellow legged hornet was found in the early stages of building a nest in Glenfield on the North Shore on October 17, while two males were… Read more Audio

4:45 PM.Health experts are warning that the measles outbreak will likely grow due to low vaccination rates and new cases that aren't linked to overseas travel. There are currently 11 known measles cases… Read more Audio

4:36 PM.Battered by last week's gales and weary from six days without power, rural Clutha residents have finally had the chance to sit down with officials - and with each other. At community events in some of… Read more Audio

4:32 PM.Sky has beaten out TVNZ to secure the broadcast rights for the summer and winter Olympics through to 2032. The announcement comes after Sky lost out to TVNZ earlier this year to secure rights for the… Read more Audio

4:25 PM.The police are doubling down on their recruitment drive as the deadline for bolstering the front line looks set to come and go. The government pledged to have 500 more front line officers in two… Read more Audio

4:05 PM.In the face of more frequent and extreme weather events, and our heavy reliance on mobile phones, is the network robust enough? Last week's storm wiped out cell phone comms for great chunks of… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about an investigation that has found paedophiles are using the dark web to learn how to gain access to childcare centres and abuse children while… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.If the Silver Ferns beat Australia in the last game of netball's Constellation Cup tomorrow night - they'll be headed for over-time to decide the series winner. The Diamonds are ahead 2-1 but the… Read more Audio

5:34 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:30 PM.A leading doctors group is backing Labour's policy of a capital gains tax to fund three free GP appointments. However, they are concerned that already overstretched GPs and practices won't be able to… Read more Audio

5:24 PM.Labour's long-awaited tax policy has finally arrived, and a little earlier than expected.The party will campaign on a capital gains tax covering property excluding the family home and farms to help… Read more Audio

5:16 PM.Aside from the struggle to get power back on, farmers and contractors in Southland are grappling with huge amounts of damage from the devastating storm. Some say it will cost hundreds of thousands of… Read more Audio

5:07 PM.Thousands of people are still without power in Otago and southland after the region was hammered by last weeks high winds, and it could be days before the lights are back on. Reinforcements on the way… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.The Prime Minister is trying to drum up some good vibes in Malaysia as part of a week long trip to the Indo-Pacific region. The aim of the trip is to deepen ties with ASEAN countries, in the hope the… Read more Audio

4:44 PM.Southland and Clutha remain under states of local emergency and there are almost 7000 homes still without power, with some people now heading into their sixth night cut off. The Southland mayor says… Read more Audio

4:35 PM.Parents and caregivers of Wellington high schoolers say they are worried by an outbreak of measles, with thousands of close contacts identified. There are now 10 confirmed cases of measles nationwide… Read more Audio

4:33 PM.It took 111 years for Ireland to finally beat the All Blacks in 2016. Since then the Irish have come out on top five times and are now nipping at the All Blacks' heels in the world rankings. Coach… Read more Audio

4:25 PM.The government has no plan for child and youth mental health, which is "appalling" according to the boss of the Mental Health Foundation. It has launched a petition today calling for Mental Health… Read more Audio

4:15 PM.US correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about questions being raised once again over whether or not Donald Trump would, or even could, run for a third presidential term. Audio

4:05 PM.It's the most progressive change to NZ's tax system in a generation according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins. The party's confirmed it will introduce a 28 percent Capital Gains Tax on commercial and… Read more Audio

5:57 PM.Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland spoke to Lisa Owen about McVitie's having to call two of it's biscuits chocolate flavoured after an ingredient change and the rising price of cocoa. Audio

5:47 PM.UK correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about an upcoming strike action involving English doctors. Audio