Checkpoint for Monday 12 December 2011

6:52 PM.The agency behind a survey about alcohol controls says the associate health minister did not suppress it. Audio

6:49 PM.Ngati Porou iwi's Chief Executive, Monty Soutar, says the death of one of the tribe's elder statesman is a big loss; Te Runanga o Ngati Kahungunu's Chairman says charter schools could open the door to… Read more Audio

6:45 PM.The most comprehensive survey carried out so far of Canterbury businesses following the earthquakes, has found the majority of sectors have had to lay off workers. Audio

6:38 PM.A teenager has been sentenced to life in prison and will serve a minimum of ten years behind bars, for the murder of another teenager in the Bay of Plenty community of Murupara. Audio

6:36 PM.A court has been told a prison officer had been threatened by the inmate who later killed him. Audio

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

6:27 PM.A stoush over Christmas lights is brewing between North and South Korea with the North warning it will retaliate against any lights put up near the border - calling it psychological warfare. Audio

6:23 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:16 PM.A judge fed up with continuous technical glitches at a Pitcairn Island court hearing in Auckland today, has adjourned proceedings until satellite connections can be sorted out. Audio

6:14 PM.The police say they're confident they'll catch whoever attacked Radio New Zealand journalist, Phillip Cottrell. Audio

6:11 PM.A property manager has been questioned at the Royal Commission investigating the Canterbury earthquakes about why he didn't tell tenants the building they worked in was unsafe. Audio

6:08 PM.Opposition parties say a high-level committee will do nothing for the thousands of people living in poverty. Audio

5:57 PM.One person stands accused of murder and two others have appeared in court today over the disappearance of the Christchurch teenager, Hayden Miles. Audio

5:54 PM.There's been a turnaround in the numbers joining Kiwisaver after months of declines in the wake of cuts to tax incentives in the May Budget. Audio

5:51 PM.The New Zealander accused of embezzling more than 20 million dollars from the Queensland health service is in hospital after being arrested by police this morning. Audio

5:49 PM.Sir Henare Ngata born north of Ruatoria in 1917, was the youngest son of New Zealand's first double university degree holder and Maori leader Sir Apirana Ngata; The Green Party's co-leader, Metiria… Read more Audio

5:41 PM.The education sector is giving the new Minister of Education - Hekia Parata a cautious welcome. Audio

5:36 PM.More now on the Lab jobs in Canterbury with the DHB deciding to have just one partner for its hospital testing instead of two. Audio

5:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:28 PM.New Zealand has had a rare cricket victory against Australia, winning the second test in last hour bowling the home team out with just seven runs to spare. Audio

5:23 PM.A judge in the High Court in Rotorua has described the Bay of Plenty community of Murupara as a sad and, on occasions, dangerous place. Audio

5:21 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:18 PM.Secondary principals say the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on emergency managers for failing schools each year might be a waste of money. Audio

5:15 PM.The firm that has lost the contract for community medical testing in Canterbury says it's devastated and will now have to lay off about 150 workers. Audio

5:10 PM.John Key says the Cabinet line up is a fresh new look - but 17 of the top 20 Ministers are old faces and on the nine person front bench only three are new. Audio

5:07 PM.The new Cabinet has three new faces and some major portfolios are swapped, including education, police, corrections and ACC. Audio

5:00 PM.Promotions for Steven Joyce, Paula Bennett and Hekia Parata in the new Cabinet line-up. A thrilling last gasp win for the Black Caps in Australia and 150 lab worker jobs are on the line in… Read more Audio