Checkpoint

Enormous amounts of packaging waste from the government's school lunch programme is going straight to the dump. An Audit Office report has highlighted high levels of waste in the programme and not just food. The School Lunch Collective provides 200,000 lunches a day, many of them in aluminium trays, with disposable utensils. The report said at the moment waste packaging from 57 percent of the scho...

From today Council's are required to take a common sense, risk based approach to temporary traffic management. That should mean less rows of bright orange safety cones. Tranport minister Chris Bishop spoke with Lisa Owen.

An independent watchdog has found the handling of an official information request by the Prime Minister's office was unreasonable. It comes after a court ordered lobbying documents relating to changing climate laws be released. The Prime Minister's accepted the recommendations - including to review the decision, but opposition parties say it still stinks. Political reporter Lillian Hanly has more.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Mexico and Ecuador's match was dislayed due to weather this afternoon. The oldest player in the NBA, LeBron James, is also making moves. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke with Lisa Owen.

Refugees allowed to settle in the UK might have to repay the government £10,000 to cover their own support, while commuters in England grappled with major disruption this week. UK correspondent Grace Thomas spoke with Lisa Owen.

A Government taskforce set up to target black market cigarettes says it has shut down a network and raided eight stores that were selling products. RNZ has been investigating the illicit smokes, sold over the counter at prices well below retail value, and without any of the health warnings or quitline numbers required by law. Finn Blackwell reports.

Deep fakes and A-I generated scams are now so sophisticated it's getting harder to pick them out of a line-up. That's why a tech users advocacy groups wants laws requiring telcos and social media platforms to proactively detect and block fraudulent activity and scams, in a move away from the "user beware" approach. TUANZ said too much responsibility is being placed on individual users and small bu...

A Taranaki couple wants the government to stop chasing them for hundreds of thousands of dollars in court costs after the Crown dropped plans to seize part of their farm for a highway project. Taranaki-Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation is calling for an independent inquiry into the death of a man at Waikato Hospital's emergency department. The man was found unconcious in the ED toilet and he was unable to be resusciated. NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter spoke with Lisa Owen.

A mother and daughter who watched as Waikato Hospital staff frantically tried to resuscitate a man found unconscious on the floor of a toilet say the waiting room had a line out the door. The man presented to ED on Monday night. Health correspondent Kate Green reports.

Serena Williams' much anticipated return to competitive singles tennis action was cut short in the first round at Wimbledon. The tennis icon hadn't played a singles match in almost four years prior to today's loss. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

A enthusiastic Australian jogger who collected whale poo on his runs and stashed it in the freezer has provided scientists with a veritable treasure trove. The dung and whale poo from other areas has revealed valuable new information about the diet and gut health of the Southern right whale or tohora. Molecular ecologist Associate Professor Emma Carroll from Auckland University who's made a career...

Middle East correspondent Lou Browne spoke to Lisa Owen about how there's been a major anti-corruption crackdown in Iraq. He also spoke about how mines along the Strait of Hormuz still need to be cleared and how billions of dollars' worth of frozen assets will be released by Qatar, according to Iran's president.

Finding the latest must have digital pet or action figure for the child in your life could get easier and cheaper with changes to toy standards. But will it be safer? The government's announced toys meeting American and European safety standards will be good enough for our tamariki. University of Auckland law professor Alex Sims likes the look of the proposal and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about tech giant Amazon being sued by the nation's consumer watchdog over allegedly unfair contract terms for customers on its Prime streaming service. 

Locals in South Wairarapa are at their wits' end after flooded rivers once-again caused widespread damage in the region - inundating farms and destroying roads. The washout at Turanganui Bridge - the second time in only four months - cut off more than 450 homes. It reopened just hours ago. Some residents say the lack of river management is to blame and they're pointing the finger at the regional c...

The All Blacks reject that France are bringing a 'B' side to Aotearoa for the opening test of the year. Much has been made of France's decision to rest nine of its stars for the test, including two of the planet's premier players. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A report on the government's school lunch programme has raised questions about the quality of the food and significant waste. The auditor general's investigation says it's unclear whether the programme is improving food security and lifting student achievement because there's insufficient monitoring. Auckland University professor of population nutrition Boyd Swinburn spoke to Lisa Owen. 

News from the business sector, including a market report.

With school holidays on the horizon, South Island ski fields are watching the temperatures and a forecast dump of snow. Warm, dry weather has been keeping it away, causing ski fields to delay their openings. But nearby businesses say some recent falls have padded the slopes and they're preparing for a flurry of visitors from this weekend. Tourism reporter Tess Brunton has more. 

A report into the revamped school lunch programme has found it saved money, but it's not clear whether it is meeting its main goals of reducing food insecurity and improving student achievement, because there's no robust monitoring. The report by the Auditor General revealed only about 50 percent of school meals were meeting nutritional standards last year. Associate Minister of Health, David Seym...

Auckland scientists are trying to replicate an almost extinct type of mussel that once played an important role in the ecology of the Hauraki Gulf. Horse mussels used to line the sea floor in many parts of Aotearoa, but over the past two decades they've been decimated by destructive fishing methods. The research is moving from lab to ocean, in the hope of giving fish and shellfish more places to l...

A GP and public health expert says ACT's welfare policy assumes people on health and disability benefits are getting them too easily. The party is campaigning on a welfare clamp down, and wants to make it mandatory for all health and disability benefits to be issued by MSD approved, designated doctors. Clinical director of the National Hauora Coalition, Dr Nina Bevin spoke to Lisa Owen.

Deciding what to do with the family farm when its management becomes too much, or there's no obvious succession plan is a growing challenge for many rural families. Holding on too long can put a strain on relationships and health, experts say. But it's a question more people are having to address as the number of farmers working past age 65 increases. Kim Savage reports.