Checkpoint for Tuesday 1 April 2025

5:45 PM.The cost of living is dominating the election campaign in Australia as new data reveals housing affordability is back on the decline, pushing home ownership further out of the reach of younger… Read more Audio

5:32 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:28 PM.After a 13-year wait Northern Districts are once again the red ball champions of domestic cricket with the Plunket Shield won on the last day of the season. A 134-run win over the Otago Volts today… Read more Audio

5:23 PM.The draft secondary school English curriculum is ringing alarm bells for some teachers. The document contains no reference to Te Mataiaho - the framework that underpins every other curriculum… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.Most voters believe parents should be most responsible for providing school lunches - over the government - according to the first RNZ Reid Research poll. The result comes after a string of problems… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.A Queenstown councillor was stripped of her roles after spilling the beans on confidential plans to invoke emergency powers to pump treated waste water into the Shotover river. Niki Gladding leaked… Read more Audio

4:55 PM.Hamilton City Council animal control said litters of dogs are being handed over to their care, including 100 puppies younger than four weeks old in the first three months of the year. The puppies… Read more Audio

4:44 PM.A Queenstown councillor has been demoted after revealing a confidential council plan to discharge treated sewage into the Shotover River. Last week, Niki Gladding leaked the council's plans to pump at… Read more Audio

4:37 PM.More than a year after work came to an abrupt halt when the government cancelled the previous mega ferries contract - Picton residents are pleased to hear there will be two new Cook Strait ferries… Read more Audio

4:28 PM.New Zealand Rugby has reached a settlement with the petrochemical company after suing for ending its sponsorship agreement early. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen. Audio

4:20 PM.Three MPs from Te Pati Maori say they will refuse to attend a hearing with Parliament's Privileges Committee tomorrow because their - quote fundamental rights - are being ignored. Party co-leaders… Read more Audio

4:17 PM.United States correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about how anticipation of Donald Trump's long-promised tariffs taking effect has caused some ructions in the stockmarket and how the… Read more Audio

4:14 PM.Reporter Jessica Hopkins asked recent high school graduates at the University of Auckland what they think about plans to make Shakespeare compulsory. Audio

4:06 PM.The draft Year 7-13 English curriculum comes with a list of "suggested" texts including the World War Two speeches of Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King's ''I have a dream speech." It says at… Read more Audio