Checkpoint

The politics of climate change and the environment is front and centre at the annual Field Days agricultural showcase as Hamilton's Mystery Creek. National and ACT announced key emissions policies, with ACT reiterating its call to leave the Paris Climate Change agreement if methane targets aren't relaxed. Business Editor Corin Dann reports.

Expense records show a government minister spent almost $17,000 in airport parking fees over two years. Credit card records show between February 2024 and February 2026 Karen Chhour parked her vehicle at Auckland airport for a combined eight and a half months. That cost taxpayers $16,686. The figures were revealed alongside other MPs spending habits. Former Minister Peter Dunne spoke to Lisa Owen...

A New Zealand blood cancer patient who was forced to leave his children behind and make a last chance dash to Australia to access funded drugs has now been given a cutting edge transplant that is not publicly available here. Tawhai Reti, who has myeloma, had exhausted all treatment options in NZ. Earlier this year he moved to Australia without his family to access the lifesaving drug Daratumamab,...

The Labour Party is promising cost-of-living relief for public transport users - pledging to cap their fares at no more than $20 a week if elected. National says it's just more irresponsible spending from Labour. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

The sister-in-law of a woman detained by ICE in the US has described the quashing of her 2016 conviction as a huge relief. Everlee Wihongi's lawyer has told RNZ that she could be released from US custody is a matter of days or weeks, after a judge vacated her conviction for marijuana possession. The next step is to get the court's decision to immigration officials and homeland security. Finn Black...

One of New Zealand's most enduring sporting careers is set to reach another remarkable milestone. Twenty years on from making his Commonwealth Games debut, artistic gymnast Misha Koudinov has been named in the NZ team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It puts him on track become just the third Kiwi athlete to compete at six Commonwealth games. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa O...

It was a bottle of wine sure to get people talking. A group of friends indulging in a bottle worth $400,000 over dinner a few nights ago. The 1996 bottle was bought by one of the friends in 1999 for $2000. Since then, friends have bought shares in the bottle. It was finally consumed after more than two decades at Wellington's Noble Rot wine bar. Bar operations manager, Jessica Wood spoke to Lisa O...

Middle East correspondent Lou Browne spoke to Lisa Owen about a fresh wave of back and forth strikes between the United States and Iran. The latest flare up follows the downing of a US Apache helicopter which was reportedly hit by an Iranian drone.

Aotearoa lacks a coherant complete approach to reducing the risk of natural hazards, according to a new report commissioned by on the country's largest insurers. AIG estimates that over the past 15 years the direct cost of natural hazards has been $4.2 billion a year. With 95 percent of that going directly to response and recovery, and just 5 percent to reducing future risk. Tasman mayor Tim King...

Auckland Councillors have been deep in discussion about exactly where high rise housing should be built to allow for close to another million and a half homes in the next decade. The government back-tracked on asking council to allow for two million more homes over the next decade, dropping the number to 1.4 earlier this year. Reporter Amy Williams was at today's Police and Planning Committee meet...

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about new data, which has revealed that Australians are more miserable about their lot in life than ever before. 

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The government is proposing to raise the penalty for power companies if they come up short in supply, from $2 million to $10 million. It is also investigating a new Winter Energy Reliability Obligation, meaning large electricity buyers have to lock in back up supply well ahead of forecast dry winters. Chair of the Major Electricity Users Group, John Harbord spoke to Lisa Owen.

A former Warrior has opened up about his off-field struggles with depression and substance abuse as he battled with his sexual identity. Kane Evans has become just the second NRL player in history to publicly come out as gay. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Wānaka GP fears the community could lose its after-hours service within weeks if proposed changes to rural healthcare funding are introduced. Under changes, which would see Wānaka reclassified due to its growing population, the rural funding for local general practices there could be slashed. Otago-Southland reporter Tess Brunton has more.

An advocacy group is hoping to swamp the Disability Minister's electorate office with complaints about cuts to a transport subsidy. The Total Mobility Scheme provides subsidies for taxis for people with disabilities who are unable to use public transport, but the government's fare subsidy is being reduced from 75 percent to 65 percent next month. Blind Low Vision NZ's head of policy and advocacy B...

Living in poor conditions shouldn't be seen as a rite of passage for university students, according to the boss of MBIE's tenancy investigations team. The team inspected 14 rentals in North Dunedin last month and found several breaches of healthy homes standards. National Manager of MBIE's tenancy and compliance team, Brett Wilson spoke to Lisa Owen.

A crocodile hunter in Papua New Guinea has described masses of pumice arriving on the shores of Manus Island as a "disaster". The huge rafts of pumice were created by an erupting undersea volcano in the Bismarck Sea. RNZ Pacific's Johnny Blades reports. 

Hundreds of residents on Wellington's south coast are being warned to stay away from their homes until tomorrow morning, with the area under a state of emergency. Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for a number of waterfront properties. Waves of up to 11 meters have been battering the Capital's coastline. Alexa Cook reports.

A cup of coffee and a chat at a local cafe could be the key to combatting loneliness. The Chatty Cafe scheme aims to reduce social isolation but creating spaces in local cafes where strangers can come together for a conversation. The concept, which is already popular in the US and UK, is now making its way to NZ. Jo Hayes from Chatty Cafes NZ spoke to Lisa Owen.

Former world number one doubles player Erin Routliffe will face off against tennis royalty in the early hours of tomorrow morning. The New Zealander and her new American doubles partner will be Serena William's first opponent on her return to tennis at the Queens Club Championships in London. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

US Correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about a dramatic six-figure price jump on a popular work visa which has been blocked. Last year Donald Trump signed an executive order raising the fee for an H1-B visa, designed for high-skilled foreign workers - from a few thousand to over $17,000. Today a federal judge ruled that fee increase unlawful

A group of charities have serious concerns that a new tax rule may break them. They group is writing to the Minister of Finance to express serious concern over the new rule that would cap tax credits for large donors at over $33,000 a year. Philanthropy acting CEO Robyn Scott spoke to Lisa Owen.

Europe correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about Ukraine's president meeting with European leaders at Downing Street. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has used a D-Day anniversary speech in France to criticise European leaders over migration.

Wellington's mayor Andrew Little has declared a state of emergency for the city's Southern and Eastern wards. It comes as a heavy swell warning is issued, with the public asked to avoid beaches and coastal areas around Wairarapa and Wellington. Dan Neely from the Wellington Civil Defence Emergency Management Office spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.