Checkpoint

Streets around the world bear his name, a depression era hero with an enormous heart, who was ahead of the field. Phar Lap, the legendary race horse, will be celebrated in his home town of Timaru next week on the 100th anniversary of his birth. After winning 37 races, Phar Lap died suddenly in the US in 1932. Nearly 100 years on debate continues over whether Phar Lap was intentionally poisoned. Se...

United States correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about China's President Xi Jinping touching down in the US for his first visit in over a decade, as well as a feud involving Dolly Parton's nephew and her estate breaking out almost a month after her death.

A growth advocacy group wants to let up to 300 exceptionally talented people a year move to New Zealand with no job offer required. Growth New Zealand is floating the idea of a "Catalyst Visa", where unlike other options people would not need a job offer or sponsor ahead of their arrival. Applicants would have to prove they're top talent in their field, with a record of " internationally exception...

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about Prime Minister Andy Burnham meeting with US President Donald Trump on the side lines at the UN General Assembly, as well as Earl Spencer being forced to apologise over a factual inaccuracy in his new memoir.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The countdown is on to a blockbuster home summer of cricket. The Black Caps today named their first squad for the T20 series against India starting on October 22. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Parliament is wrapping up for the year, and for the term of the 54th Parliament, as MPs ready themselves to hit the campaign trail for the next six weeks. Political reporter Lauren Crimp spoke to Lisa Owen. 

The firefighters' union is calling for an inquiry into the management of Fire and Emergency New Zealand. NZ Professional Firefighters Union members have handed over a petition to politicians in Wellington today, demanding action. This comes a week after Internal Affairs Minister Brook van Velden declared she had no confidence in the FENZ chief executive, and a damning select committee report revea...

Police say a young child who was critically injured in the Southland town of Otautau has died in Starship Children's Hospital. Emergency services were called to a property in Otautau on Saturday night, where the child was found. Otago Southland reporter Tess Brunton spoke to Lisa Owen. 

More than 50 business leaders have signed an open letter to politicians, asking them to keep their hands off private businesses. The New Zealand Initiative is behind the letter, asking parties to withdraw some of their policies and uphold private property and contract rights. It comes off the back of proposals to sell off or separate supermarket assets, and buy back the Australian-owned BNZ. New Z...

As wildlife flourishes in a fenced Otago ecosanctuary, mahi is ramping up to protect the birds flying the coop. In July, Predator Free Dunedin received $3.9 million over three years from the Department of Conservation to boost its predator elimination work. That funding means they'll soon be targeting mustelids, rats, rabbits and feral cats lurking around the Orokonui Ecosanctuary. Tess Brunton re...

Anna Mowbray and Ali Williams' new private netball league could bring together two Auckland professional sports franchises. RNZ understands Auckland real estate director and long-time Mystics sponsor Peter Thompson is in talks with the high-profile couple about buying a franchise licence for the new league. The move could see the Mystics join forces with the Blues, with the two clubs already shari...

Some Kiwi Classic Car lovers have reached the top of the leader board in a global drive to raise funds for Men's health. The Distinguished Gentleman's Drive is on this Sunday. More than 200 drives are planned around the world - seven in New Zealand. But it's the event, Dapper Drive, in Wairarapa that's leaving others in the dust. Organiser Malcolm Fleming spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Middle East correspondent Madeline Croad spoke to Lisa Owen about all eyes being on the US and Iran at the UN General assembly, as well as the US talking about banning Iranian airlines worldwide.

The government was warned not to pump taxpayer money into concerts, because profits would probably go off shore and the costs would likely outweigh the benefits. Yet the Tourism Minister went ahead and funded shows by Robbie Williams, Linkin Park, Post Malone and Bruno Mars. Former festival director for Splore, Jon Minty had a funding application rejected, and Rob Warner, a music industry veteran...

A survey has found that most adults are putting off getting their eyes checked. But is it more than just not wanting to wear glasses that's stopping them? Anya Fielding reports, in this first of two stories about the cost of eye care.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The Ministry of Education says suggestions information isn't recorded in writing to avoid scrutiny are unacceptable. It comes after a leaked video showed an official telling staff not to put things into writing - the ministry's chief executive is now looking into whether it's an isolated incident. Parliament held an urgent debate on the matter this afternoon - on its penultimate sitting day this t...

The world champion English women's rugby team's incredible 39-match winning run has come to an end, after a draw at the weekend. The result has buoyed the Black Ferns who will now look to hand the Roses their first loss since the 2022 world cup final. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

Search crews have been scouring a South Westland lake today for signs of a plane that went missing without a trace, half a century ago, with seven people on board. The renewed search for flight ZK-EBU has brought relative to the shores of Lake Moeraki north of Haast, after volunteer aviation investigators reported spotting an object on the lakebed. Reporter Katie Todd spoke to Lisa Owen.

Public meetings are being held in the Tararua district focusing on the dire state of primary health care. Six staff, including four nurses at the Pahiatua Medical centre tendered their resignations yesterday over what they have described as a ballooning safety crisis. Health New Zealand's Geoff Gwyn, who's the central region's director planning, funding and outcomes spoke to Lisa Owen.

A public meeting is being held in Pahiatua over the state of the medical centre in the Tararua District town. Reporter Mary Argue was there and spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Australian Government has just released its latest Intergenerational Report.

A woman, who's had her driver testing credentials revoked as part of an NZTA investigation, says she's done nothing wrong and the students she passed are fit to be on the road. In July, 23 testing officers were suspended or stood down from practical driver licence testing. NZTA alleges they have abnormally high pass rates, that's unlikely to be by chance. Michaela Howe categorically denies any wro...

A woman who scammed a man out of more than half a million dollars was posing as a police recruit in Australia. She made promises to cross the Tasman and move to Dunedin to be with the man, when in reality the scammer was unemployed and living rent-free in Auckland with her mother. Court documents released to RNZ reveal the scale of the romance ruse that strung along the man for 18 years, even as h...