Checkpoint for Wednesday 5 December 2012

6:53 PM.New Zealand has once again scored top marks on the global anti-corruption index which ranks 176 governments. Audio

6:49 PM.The Maori Party co-leader, Tariana Turia, has challenged the Government over petroleum and mineral operations - saying iwi need to have bigger role in who's selected to look for oil; No decision's… Read more Audio

6:46 PM.Opponents of a controversial 100-million dollar hotel planned for Dunedin's waterfront say putting up the 28-storey building would be an illegal use of an industrial zone. Audio

6:43 PM.The Green Party says New Zealand is being shamed at international climate change talks in Doha over the Government's decision not to sign up to the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol. Audio

6:40 PM.About a dozen people protested outside a major security firm's headquarters in Auckland today over what they call dangerous and poor working conditions in the industry. Audio

6:36 PM.The police are looking for two children and their mother they believe have been kidnapped in Waikato today. Audio

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

6:26 PM.A coroners report into the death of an inmate at a Waikato prison has rejected claims the man died because he was showered with pepper spray and hit with a baton. Audio

6:18 PM.Christchurch teachers have decided to strike for a day in February, in response to the Government's plans to close or merge 36 schools in Christchurch. Audio

6:15 PM.The Minister of Finance says the Government is on track to achieve its surplus target despite another deterioration in its monthly acccounts. Audio

6:11 PM.The Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, says a Labour Party allegation about a conflict of interest involving a government apointee is reckless, cowardly and wrong. Audio

6:08 PM.A senior American fire fighter has told the CTV inquest it's inconceivable the Fire Service failed to put somebody in overall charge of the rescue operation, and it would've taken a crowbar to keep… Read more Audio

5:57 PM.The country's oldest cars are in Waimate, the newest in Auckland. Audio

5:53 PM.Special equipment has been brought in to sniff out the source an unpleasant smell that's been plaguing Timaru for years. Audio

5:50 PM.The death toll from a powerful storm that ravaged the southern Philippines is now more than 100, as rescuers battled to reach areas cut off in flash floods and mudslides. Audio

5:47 PM.The Kohanga Reo movement has been told by the National MP, Tau Henare, that the current government isn't entirely responsible for the demise of the Maori pre-schools' philosophy; The Maori Party… Read more Audio

5:43 PM.The Motueka High School Board of Trustees has been ordered to pay 60 thousand dollars reparation over a boy crushed under freshly cut logs on the school grounds. Audio

5:40 PM.Nanny and au pair companies have been quick to say they are not the ones using taxpayer subsidies to pay for cooking and cleaning services, but some may be doing it. Audio

5:36 PM.Hundreds of teachers have today voted to strike for a day in February, in response to the Government's plans to close or merge 36 schools in Christchurch. Audio

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

5:26 PM.Winston Peters joins us. Audio

5:23 PM.The Green and Maori Parties are accusing the New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, of being too quick to sack list MP Brendan Horan from his caucus. Audio

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

5:14 PM.Taxpayers have paid out for at least 22 airfares for jobseekers to move to Australia, and checks are being made to see if there are others over the last four years. Audio

5:10 PM.The head of Corrections has admitted to two more privacy breaches by his staff faxing sensitive files to the wrong place. Audio

5:07 PM.The owner and manager of the Switched on Gardener retail chain have been found guilty of selling gear to grow cannabis. Audio

5:00 PM.Garden centre managers guilty of selling dope-growing gear. Two more privacy blunders at the Corrections Department and Greens and Maori Party accuse Peters of being too quick to sack Horan. Audio