Checkpoint

National is promising to introduce random drug testing for people on the jobseeker benefit. Too many failed tests could result in their benefit being cut. Labour said the policy is "offensive" to people desperately trying to find a job. But what do voters think, is it a fair crackdown or a targeted kick to beneficiaries? Evie Richardson took to the streets of Auckland to find out.

RNZ's Chief Financial Officer has unexpectedly resigned and walked off the job the same day, prompting an emergency board meeting. CFO Hilary Parker quit last Friday while the CEO was out of the country, and just weeks before the public broadcaster is due to report its accounts. RNZ board member, Richard Dellabarca is now acting as the organisations CFO. RNZ Deputy Political Editor Craig McCulloch...

In the space of a fortnight the New Zealand Breakers will travel to just about every corner of Australia that has an NBL team, and one that doesn't. A schedule that has stops in Perth, Canberra, Tasmania and then Cairns has seen the club's owners fund an extended stay across the Tasman to try to offset some of the travel challenges. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen. 

The Chiefs are in a showdown with Papua New Guinea's new rugby league franchise team over their name, The PNG Chiefs. NZ Rugby has asked the Aussie NRL to reconsider the name of the team, which is set to join the league competition in 2028. But things have escalated and NZR is seeking a High Court injunction to block PNG using the Chiefs moniker. CEO of the Chiefs Rugby franchise Simon Graafhuis s...

US correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about more details coming about about the condition of death row inmate Christa Pike, who is awake after surviving two lethal injection doses, as well as US President Donald Trump planning on calling Vladimir Putin about a suspected plague death at a SIberian laboratory.

Beneficiaries will face random drug tests and have their payments docked if they continue to fail those tests if National is re-elected. It will initially do 10,000 random tests on job seekers and expand from there. Anyone on jobseeker support for two of the previous three years will also get their benefit reduced. To qualify for a benefit people will need to be resident in NZ for five years rathe...

Europe correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about a quarter of a million people taking to the streets of France to protest school conditions, as well as a seventh arrest in relation to the Fairford airbase incident.

Business News for 7 October 2026.

A one of a kind Rotorua te reo course turns 40 next month. He Kainga Mo te Reo is a free full time immersion language course for adults. It's funded through the Ministry of Education. Over four decades it's taught an estimated 8000 students. Tutu Kautai has been a kaiako with He Kainga Mo Te Ro for more than 30 years, and spoke to Lisa Owen.

New Zealand Cricket is finally opening up about how it arrived at the decision to pursue a proposal for a new privately-owned T20 franchise league. It comes six months after the decision, and follows some pretty pointed criticism from high profile members of the cricket community. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

After nearly 36 years, David Tamihere has had the charges against him for murdering a pair of Swedish backpackers thrown out. Tamihere already had his convictions quashed by the Supreme Court earlier this year, but it was left to the Crown to decide whether to hold another trial - and this morning the court heard they didn't have sufficient evidence to proceed. Finn Blackwell was there.

Firefighting efforts resumed from the air and the ground at Walter Peak near Queenstown as a vegetation fire continues to burn. The fire above the shores of Lake Wakatipu has grown to an estimated 1200 hectares, with volatile winds and rugged terrain testing the efforts of crews. The dramatic developments have also sparked the interests of locals and visitors. Katie Todd reports.

A union is calling out a rubbish deal that could see more than a dozen workers made redundant, only to be hired back as contractors. Workers First is accusing Waste Management, one of New Zealand's largest recovery and recycle operators of taking away guaranteed hours, wage protections, leave provisions and secure jobs. Workers are being made redundant with the option of buying their rubbish truck...

There's growing concern over wait times for the results of critical cancer tests. An Auckland woman, who had been diagnosed with cancer, told Checkpoint she waited three weeks for urgent biopsy results that should have taken a maximum of 48 hours. Those test results showed she needed further treatment. Chair of the Breast Cancer Foundation's medical advisory committee Dr Reena Ramsaroop spoke to L...

Online safety organisation Netsafe says sextortion is at its highest ever level in Aotearoa, and the number of people falling victim to online harm is rising rapidly. Sextortion is a form of blackmail in which someone is tricked or pressured into sharing intimate images, then threatened with having them posted online unless they pay a ransom or send more. Netsafe says cases have gone up nearly 25%...

Lionel Messi has just made his final appearance for Argentina. Messi's departure from the international game comes three months after Argentina fell short in the World Cup final. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

The hunt is on for a vaccine to save hoiho, or yellow eyed penguin, with numbers tanking over past years. There are now fewer than 115 hoiho breeding pairs on mainland New Zealand and Rakiura/Stewart island. Evolutionary virologist, Professor Jemma Geoghan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Middle East and North Africa correspondent Madeline Croad spoke to Lisa Owen about an entire independent newsroom in Egypt facing terrorism charges. The six journalists - who work for the fact-checking platform Matsadaash - were arrested last week. They've reportedly been accused of spreading fake news, among several other terror-related claims. Press freedom and human rights groups have condemned...

As we head into summer concert season, the leaders of the two main parties are not completely in tune when it comes to the arts. Christopher Luxon and Chris Hipkins agree the government has a role in funding the sector, but Luxon doesn't believe that overseas artists should be required to have a local opening act. Head of the NZ arm of APRA, Anthony Healey spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about a training exercise gone wrong which resulted in the death of a soldier.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

A tennis player has made a costly error at an ATP event in China. Russian Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open after hitting a ball into the crowd and striking a spectator. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

An Australian horse trainer and entertainer is expected to wow audiences at an upcoming festival in Hamilton. Joe Gardiner specialises in trick riding, the type of thing seen in an old fashioned western or gladiator style movie. His tricks will be on display at Equifest, kicking off next week. Joe Gardiner spoke to Lisa Owen.

National's Christopher Luxon and Labour's Chris Hipkins have only a few more hours to cram before they go to head-to-head in their first televised debate of the campaign. The showdown is set to begin at 7 o'clock on TVNZ and will be simulcast here on RNZ National.

National has resuscitated health promises it failed to deliver on this term. It has also made a new commitment, to give more than $600 million of additional funding for Pharmac's medicines budget, which will be funded by cutting foreign aid outside the Pacific. Tim Edmonds, spokesperson for The Forbidden Pharmacy spoke to Lisa Owen.