Checkpoint for Friday 18 October 2013

6:57 PM.Social welfare groups in Christchurch are reporting a spike in the number of homeless people because of the city's housing shortage, and many of them have mental health problems. Audio

6:48 PM.Whanau and parents in Parakai near Auckland are fighting the closure of the local schools' Maori medium unit, Te Whare Kakano; Maori Television has today held a poroporoaki or farewell for its… Read more Audio

6:38 PM.The New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, is predicting a key post-election role as his party holds its annual conference in Christchurch this weekend. Audio

6:35 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:22 PM.The founder of Xero, Rod Drury, has won the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, capping off a week when he raised 180 million dollars and his company's value climbed to more than 3-billion. Audio

6:20 PM.Pulling a name out of a box - that's how the last member of an Auckland local board was decided this morning. Audio

6:16 PM.The Government has spent almost five million dollars buying part of Christchurch's main shopping precinct to break an impasse and prevent fragmented development. Audio

6:16 PM.School children and council officials were putting on a brave face at the opening of Pukekura Park's expensive new playground in New Plymouth today, after vandals destroyed a major part of it. Audio

5:57 PM.A toffee coloured, ornately carved pair of rhinoceros horns has become one of the most expensive antique items to ever be auctioned off in New Zealand. Audio

5:52 PM.As the fires swept through parts of Springwood yesterday a thousand terrified high school students and their teachers were trapped for hours in one school, unable to leave as the flames blocked the… Read more Audio

5:47 PM.Whanau and parents in Parakai near Auckland are fighting the closure of the local schools' Maori medium unit, Te Whare Kakano; Maori Television has today held a poroporoaki or farewell for its… Read more Audio

5:42 PM.Nine more Afghan interpreters have been granted New Zealand residency, but it's claimed another six are still being given the cold shoulder. Audio

5:40 PM.The family of a man whose skull was smashed to pieces by his killer, say they have been forced to live a nightmare of diabolical proportions. Audio

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

5:27 PM.An international organisation has accused the Government of not doing enough to crack down on the bribery of foreign officials by New Zealand businesses. Audio

5:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:18 PM.In Australia, it's feared wildfires have destroyed at least 200 homes, wiping out streets and forcing thousands to evacuate their homes in the Blue Mountains in Sydney. Audio

5:15 PM.The cause of death of an elderly couple found in a Napier motel unit is unlikely to be known for a couple of days, when the post mortems are complete. Audio

5:12 PM.The chance to buy shares for the first time in New Zealand's biggest electricity company has just closed. Audio

5:09 PM.Local Government chiefs have made a quick trip to Auckland, to offer advice to the Council on the ongoing sex scandal engulfing its mayor Len Brown. Audio

5:06 PM.A navy Commodore faces possible prison time and demotion after being found guilty of trying to cover up an extramarital affair he had with a subordinate. Audio

5:00 PM.Top navy officer found guilty;Local Government NZ advises Auckland Council on sex scandal;Meridian share float closes;How elderly couple died still not known;Wildfires in Australia destroy hundreds of… Read more Audio