Checkpoint Podcast Options

6:06 PM.Auckland councillors have voted to pass its emergency budget - 18 in favour; three against - and impose a rates rise of 3.5 percent. Mayor Phil Goff joins Lisa Owen to discuss the council finances and… Read more Audio

5:51 PM.The private information of thousands of people has been breached on a web page hosted by a Wellington-based property management company, which displayed pictures of people's personal documents which… Read more Audio

5:47 PM.The number of new coronavirus cases in the Australian state of Victoria continues to soar - but state officials are hesitant to put more restrictions in place. RNZ World Watch reporter Annabel Reid… Read more Audio

5:36 PM.The future of Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, and indeed heavy industry nationwide, is becoming a sticking point between coalition partners - Labour and New Zealand First. Otago-Southland reporter… Read more Audio

5:32 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:26 PM.Auckland Council has signed off on a 3.5 percent rates hike to help cover costs from the Covid-19 fallout, and the region's water woes - RNZ reporter Jean Bell has the details. Audio

5:06 PM.The National Party rollercoaster continued today with more shock news - two senior MPs announced they're quitting at the election. Nikki Kaye and Amy Adams are both saying goodbye to the party two… Read more Audio

6:26 PM.The Queenstown Lakes District Council is plotting for a busy summer of camping, despite no new international visitors on the horizon. But some locals feel freedom camping has had its day. RNZ… Read more Audio

6:19 PM.Authorities in Victoria are becoming increasingly annoyed at breaches of the lockdown in force there - with another 238 cases recorded in the state over the past 24-hours. Audio

6:14 PM.The appointment of Christchurch MP Gerry Brownlee as National's deputy leader has been met with a chorus of outrage from some Cantabrians - who say he is responsible for lengthy delays in settling… Read more Audio

6:12 PM.Senior National MP Michael Woodhouse has been stripped of the health portfolio by new leader Judith Collins - he spoke to RNZ political reporter Jo Moir about the demotion. Audio

6:07 PM.Judith Collins has been an MP in South Auckland for 18 years - today RNZ reporter Sarah Robson and visual journalist Dan Cook visited her Papakua electorate to see how they felt about her new… Read more Audio

5:49 PM.Newly minted National leader Judith Collins says she will be unveiling policies that are positive for the country - but is ruling out tax increases to cover the costs of the country's covid recovery… Read more Audio

5:42 PM.A Hawke's Bay tour operator is accusing the Department of Conservation of overplaying the dangers at Cape Kidnappers - despite a GNS report finding the risk of walking along the track as higher than… Read more Audio

5:38 PM.New Zealand won't ban Huawei equipment despite a move in the UK to purge the Chinese company's gear from its 5G mobile networks. The ruling follows sanctions imposed by the US, which claim the firm… Read more Audio

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

5:15 PM.A Christchurch community is reeling after a tragic house fire killed an eight-year-old boy and an eight-month-old baby last night. Audio

5:11 PM.Whole neighbourhoods or regions could be put back into lockdown if we see a community outbreak of Covid-19 - the prime minister today laid out Cabinet's plan if the virus managed to slip through the… Read more Audio

5:07 PM.Judith Collins has made a show of force on her first day as leader of the Opposition, swiftly sacking the party's health spokesperson for his role in last week's meltdown. Audio