Checkpoint for Friday 28 March 2014

6:54 PM.One staff member has already quit at a Northland charter school, which only opened last month and the Ministry of Education has admitted it's had teething problems; The iwi of the new Maori Television… Read more Audio

6:38 PM.Political parties are readying themselves for the election, but none are directly, or openly wooing the so-called Christian vote, not even the Conservatives. Audio

6:29 PM.Beekeepers are warning that the price of honey could jump 20-percent due to one of the worst seasons in decades. Audio

6:24 PM.Business is booming in Canterbury. It's reached a new high driven by consumer confidence, with more people splashing out on hardware, building and garden supplies. Audio

6:21 PM.New Zealand's early childhood education system and schools' IT use have caught the attention of one of the big hitters attending a major international education event in Wellington. Audio

6:19 PM.The Government has just announced the final details of its partial sale of Genesis Energy, including how much the shares will cost. Audio

6:16 PM.Four people who took part in what the Crown described as a vigilante attack on a Featherston man have all been found guilty of his murder. Audio

6:13 PM.A prominent Canterbury business leader is warning that Christchurch's record high employment levels are going to cannibalise the country's long term workforce. Audio

6:07 PM.At least two dozen people are now confirmed to have died as rescuers continue to search through the debris of a mudslide in the American state of Washington. Audio

5:53 PM.The shot-put is the feature event at the National Athletics Championships in Wellington this weekend, but it's not only the reigning Olympic and World champion Valerie Adams in the spotlight. Audio

5:50 PM.The New Zealand First spokesperson for education says there was insufficient planning for a Maori charter school that opened in February, which has resulted in one teacher quitting; The iwi of the new… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.If you've got a conviction for theft, fraud or assault and you still want to join the police force, it's no problem if you want a career in New South Wales. Audio

5:36 PM.A former union boss in Australia has been sentenced to seven and a half years in jail for fraud, with the Judge describing him parasitic, greedy and arrogant. Audio

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

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

5:25 PM.The High Court says it has no power to decide if Teina Pora should get bail before his Privy Council hearing. Audio

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

5:18 PM.Police investigating the murder of Wellington woman last year have revealed they think the killer broke into the Miramar house weeks later to leave an Old Testament verse beside her bed. Audio

5:16 PM.Police in Auckland have identified a person of interest as they seek the killer of a homeless man in Balmoral last weekend. Audio

5:13 PM.The search area for wreakage of the missing Malaysia passenger jet has shifted dramatically. Audio

5:10 PM.Hamilton police Senior Sergeant Andrew O'Reilly arrived an hour after the rock fall. Audio

5:07 PM.A woman is dead and another is lucky to be alive after part of a cliff above State Highway 3 in the King Country gave way and crashed onto their car. Audio