Checkpoint

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about the fallout from the attack on the Victorian MP Helen Haines who was hit by a vehicle yesterday in what's been described as a deliberate targeting of the politician. 

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Sticky beaked humans are putting Kaikoura's little blue penguins under stress, forcing volunteers to set up safe spaces away from prying eyes. The Kaikoura Wildlife Centre Trust and the councils have set up three reserve areas for the at-risk korora. Kaikoura Wildlife Trust manager, Sabrina Leucht spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Football Ferns are home recovering from their scare in Panama. The side were forced to cut their tour short after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the country. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Selwyn councillor says water charges could reach a point where people simply cannot afford to pay, as thousands call for the Canterbury district's pricing system to be reviewed. An 18 percent water bill hike took effect in July when council-owned organisation Selwyn Water issued its first invoices, a year after the entity was first established. Anna Sargent reports.

Scott Watson's defence lawyers say police "primed" and "pressured" a key eyewitness to identify Watson in a photo montage. Watson is appealing his convictions in the Supreme Court for the murders of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope after a New Years' party in the Marlborough Sounds in 1998. Reporter Ellen O'Dwyer was at the appeal and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some of Rotorua's homeless are busing out of the central city in the evenings to avoid being moved on, according to the Salvation Army. Emergency housing in the city is now down to just one motel with 12 families. At its peak 62 motels and hotels housed 600 people. Salvation Army Community Ministries manager in Rotorua, Darnielle Hoods spoke to Lisa Owen.

Chris Hipkins has challenged Christopher Luxon to talk health ahead of the final leaders' debate this evening. It has emerged as one of the campaign's big talking points, as Labour releases its plan to fix wait times at emergency departments. But National says things have improved - and is challenging Labour on its law and order record instead. Political reporter Giles Dexter has more.

An Australian politician has lost her leg after a violent attack left her pinned between two cars. Independent MP Helen Haines was allegedly rammed by an SUV in front of her electorate office. She remains in a critical condition and a 43 year old man is in police custody. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called it a "deliberate act". The ABC's Ben Knight is in Wangaratta, where the attack happe...

A teenage witness has described the bloody scene at a bus stop following the attack that killed an American PhD student in Auckland. The teenager, who cannot be identified, gave evidence in the High Court in Auckland where four other teenagers are on trial - accused of robbing and murdering Kyle Whorrall in Meadowbank in April last year. Finn Blackwell was in court, and a warning this story contai...

The Silver Ferns are not going to let Australian netball take all the credit for their recent success. The Silver Ferns opened the Constellation Cup with a victory over the Diamonds on Sunday, and will meet them for test two in Christchurch tomorrow. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe reports.

The ACT Party wants trades to stop being treated as a second best option to university. It has launched a policy to boost the standing of and access to trade training. the coalition government is already putting an extra $70 million from the scrapped fees free scheme into doubling trade academy places to 20,000. ACT candidate Paul Henry spoke to Lisa Owen. 

United States correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about a US Air Force member who has died after a stunt ahead of a sports game in Texas went tragically wrong.

An Australian MP is in a critical condition after allegedly being rammed twice with an SUV in what appears to be a targeted attack. Back home, Speaker Gerry Brownlee says there has been an astronomical rise in threats against MPs. Mona Kewel from Victoria University's Internet, Social Media and Politics Research Lab spoke to Lisa Owen.

Europe correspondent, Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about French President Emmanuel Macron speaking in response to the latest nationwide protests, as well as the UK health secretary announcing a major funding boost heading into winter.

The Crown says Kyle Whorral went to the shops and never came back. The 33-year-old PhD student from America was killed in an attack at a bus stop in the Auckland suburb of Meadowbank in April last year. Four teenagers are on trial after pleading not guilty to his murder and aggravated robbery in the High Court at Auckland. Finn Blackwell reports.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns have taken their Rugby League World Cup campaigns to Christchurch. The sides are set for a double header under the roof on the back of brutal opening games of the tournament. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A disused Waikato sand quarry could be the new home of music festival Rhythm and Vines, after its Gisborne swan song this summer. After almost a quarter of a century the event that injects millions into Tairawhiti's economy is on the move. The organisers want to expand the festival's capacity and make access easier. Tamahere, between Cambridge and Hamilton, could be the right spot. Waikato Distric...

Supermarket customers have been facing long queues at New World. A pricing issue is causing the week's specials not to show up at some checkouts, causing some shoppers to be overcharged. Reporter Felix Walton spoke to Lisa Owen.

Gloriavale says its school board did everything in its power when allegations of a historic sexual assault surfaced against a staff member. The opening arguments have been made in the High Court at Wellington over the future of the West Coast Christian community's school. The judicial review follows the decision by the Secretary of Education to cancel the private school's registration, over seriou...

Police investigators took evidence home and loaded it into unsecured artificial intelligence services on their own devices in breach of police policy. Documents released to RNZ detail some of the AI breaches and also suggest that sensitive files have been uploaded to unsecured cloud services. Barrister and privacy law expert Kathryn Dalziel spoke to Lisa Owen.

Te Pāti Māori MP Orinii Kaipara is doubling down on her support for gangs, as the furore around a gang pad meet up continues to draw fire. Kaipara promised to "restore the mana" of the Mongrel Mob last week, who she says are overwhelmingly victims of state abuse. That's been rubbished by the coalition parties, who've hit Te Pāti Māori, the Greens and Labour hard since the news broke. Political rep...

The Christmas lights and tinsel may have come and gone by the time we have a new government, with a coalition deal not expected to come quickly. RNZ Political Editor Jo Moir spoke to Lisa Owen.

King Country made history over the weekend, finally winning the trophy that's named after their most famous player - former All Black and King Country lock Sir Colin "Pinetree" Meads. The union defeated defending champions Mid-Canterbury 24-14 in the Heartland Championship final in Ashburton on Saturday. Mead's daughter Shelley Mitchell spoke to Lisa Owen.