Checkpoint for Monday 21 November 2011

6:53 PM.The National Party says it will get more children into early childhood education if it is re-elected. Audio

6:50 PM.A Wellington travel agency is accusing the police of double standards, over how quickly they've dealt with the National Party leader's complaint laid over the tea tape. Audio

6:46 PM.The head of the Waikato Tainui parliament executive, Tukoroirangi Morgan, says he's not fazed by the idea that Maori may not have first refusal to buy shares in state-owned assets; A poll of 400 Maori… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.Internet bloggers aligned to the National Party say Labour has sunk to new lows with an election pamphlet that shows a baby and states "under National you won't be around to celebrate her first… Read more Audio

6:39 PM.For news from the UK now, our correspondent Barney Burnham is on the line from London. Audio

6:36 PM.More now on the flooding on the West Coast where farmers have been scrambling to save their stock with rivers rising rapidly to record levels. Audio

6:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:26 PM.Community and business leaders in Dunedin say the major political parties are not serious enough about creating jobs in the city. Audio

6:22 PM.The German bidder for Turners and Growers is adamant its 216 million dollar takeover offer is fair, despite conceding it's unlikely to gain full control. BayWa is offering $1.85 a share, and has… Read more Audio

6:10 PM.The Maori Party has repeated its opposition to state asset sales and rejected Labour's accusation it's hypocritical to argue at the same for special iwi access to shares if the partial sales go… Read more Audio

6:08 PM.Polls showing increasing support for the minor parties is starting to rattle some in the financial markets. Audio

5:56 PM.The National Party today released details backing its claim that there are 800 more doctors working in public hospitals than three years ago. Comments on the topic by National's health spokesperson… Read more Audio

5:52 PM.An Auckland councillor has clashed with a Grey Power leader over a push to limit the number of Asian immigrants. Audio

5:46 PM.A new poll suggests the Maori Party's Rahui Katene will keep her Te Tai Tonga seat; The head of the Waikato Tainui parliament executive, Tukoroirangi Morgan, says he's not fazed by the idea that Maori… Read more Audio

5:44 PM.A travel agency whose employee stole up to 80-thousand-dollars says months of police inaction is a double standard, compared to the swift response to the National Party leader's tea tape complaint. Audio

5:41 PM.One of New Zealand's largest bakers, Goodman Fielder, is looking to put bread with a shelf life of up to ten days on supermarket shelves. Audio

5:38 PM.Authorities in New York have foiled a potential attack by a "lone wolf" whose targets included Amercian soldiers returning home from Afganistan and Iraq. Audio

5:35 PM.The National Party is promising to get tough on failing schools and get the last few thousand preschoolers into early childhood education. Audio

5:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:27 PM.Ever heard the one about the man who broke into a car, but left his cellphone and medication behind? Audio

5:23 PM.West Coast farmers have been scrambling to save their stock with rivers rising rapidly to record levels. Audio

5:20 PM.The German firm BayWa says it's happy with a majority stake in Turners and Growers, and doesn't intend to increase its takeover offer to gain all of the company. Guinness Peat Group has already… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.The police say several people have confessed to killing an Auckland woman, whose body was dumped in a reserve more than six years, but have been ruled out because they cannot say how they killed her. Audio

5:14 PM.A mining consultant's told the Royal Commission inquiring into the Pike River disaster of a long list of problems - including no underground monitoring of gas levels - six months before the… Read more Audio

5:12 PM.A man accused of killing a six-month-old baby because he was jealous of its father, says it was manslaughter not murder. Audio

5:08 PM.The National Party leader, John Key says he's not panicking over New Zealand First returning to Parliament, but wants to make sure New Zealanders know what they're voting for on Saturday. Audio