Checkpoint for Tuesday 6 March 2012

6:56 PM.Community groups in the Christchurch suburb of Aranui are stepping up their night patrols after today meeting with police over a spate of arson attacks on abandoned properties. Audio

6:49 PM.A Senior Lecturer at Waikato University's Te Piringia-Faculty of Law, says it's time Maori stopped relying on the court system to resolve their internal arguments; South Taranaki Maori are pitching in… Read more Audio

6:47 PM.The Wellington Regional Council wants to add 25 dollars a year to the average ratepayer's bill to help pay for more dams and public transport. Audio

6:44 PM.The Auckland Council is to take a long hard look at the future of the port company which it owns before deciding whether it can expand further into the harbour. Audio

6:35 PM.A defence lawyer has challenged the credibility of video footage taken by police officers investigating alleged military-style training camps in Te Urewera National Park. Audio

6:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:26 PM.The gold medal winners of this year's Ellerslie International Flower show have been named in Christchurch, with many taking their inspiration from the February 22nd earthquake which cancelled last… Read more Audio

6:23 PM.Pumpkin Patch has signed two new deals to sell its children's clothing overseas as it attempts to build up its international market after the failure of its US and British stores. Audio

6:17 PM.Tens of thousands of people living in southern New South Wales are under threat from what is being described as record flooding. Audio

6:14 PM.Opposition parties are challenging National's insistence it has a mandate to sell a minority stake in some state assets. Audio

6:11 PM.Otago University will spend 50 million dollars to fast-track the earthquake-strengthening of risky buildings at its Dunedin campus. Audio

6:07 PM.A lawyer is claiming five victims of February's Christchurch earthquake died because of inept search and rescue efforts. Audio

5:57 PM.An unknown painting by the celebrated New Zealand artist Frances Hodgkins has been discovered after being hidden for about 80 years. Audio

5:54 PM.China's decision to pursue slower and less export-driven growth is being described as a mixed blessing for New Zealand exporters. Audio

5:47 PM.South Taranaki Maori are pitching in to help repair damage caused by a severe weather storm that lashed the region over the weekend; A Senior Lecturer at Waikato University's Te Piringia-Faculty of… Read more Audio

5:42 PM.The Police Association says it is too early to say what sort of pay increase it will claim when it starts wage negotiations later this year. Audio

5:38 PM.The Labour Party says the Foreign Minister Murray McCully is failing to lead by example, and is running up extravagant travel bills when his Ministry is facing job cuts. Audio

5:36 PM.Watersiders in Wellington are being forced back to work on a container ship they had blacklisted. Audio

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

5:28 PM.A court has heard a recording of stunned air traffic controllers, swearing to each other as they watch a plane full of people taking off from Queenstown. Audio

5:24 PM.The Finance Minister is not alarmed by another downturn in the Government's books even though it appears Budget deficits this year and next will be higher than forecast. Audio

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

5:15 PM.Police officers are being asked to accept a wage freeze so the Commissioner can balance his one point-four-billion dollar budget. Audio

5:12 PM.The royal commission's is considering whether to do what Nigel Hampton wants. Audio

5:07 PM.A lawyer is claiming five victims of February's Christchurch earthquake died because of inept search and rescue efforts. Audio

5:00 PM.Inept search and rescue is blamed for five quake deaths in Christchurch. Police officers are asked to accept a wage freeze and Air traffic controllers stunned as a plane takes off. Audio