Checkpoint for Tuesday 9 September 2014

6:53 PM.In Australia the outspoken Palmer United Party, Senator Jacqui Lambie, has blamed a "tribal war" for a dispute over her Indigenous heritage, and warned an Aboriginal elder who challenged her claim to… Read more Audio

6:49 PM.A Maori child advocacy group, Mana Ririki, doubts National would support the idea of a cross-party political agreement to eliminate poverty for tamariki in New Zealand; A group representing Maori in… Read more Audio

6:46 PM.Apple is poised to unveil its latest product to the market -- the new generation iphoneX and it's rumoured -- a new wearable device. Audio

6:42 PM.The American Secretary of State, John Kerry, has vowed to build an enduring international coalition to defeat Islamic State saying almost every nation has role to play in eliminating the jihadists. Audio

6:36 PM.The National Party leader is dismissing calls for beneficiary families to be given greater state financial support. John Key says it's better to get them into jobs. Audio

6:34 PM.A short time ago, the kiwi was trading at 82.63 US cents, 89.17 Australian cents, 51.35 British pence, point-6413 euro, 87.77 yen and 5.07 renminbi. Audio

6:21 PM.Money owed to subcontractors will be ring-fenced from building company collapses under a law change the National Party announced today. Audio

6:21 PM.Australia is turning to Japan to build a dozen submarines in its biggest defence contract, a move that threatens to antagonise both China and, closer to home, Adelaide ship builders. Audio

6:19 PM.The Green Party says it would pump an extra 115-million dollars a year into special needs education, if it gets elected into Government. Audio

6:12 PM.A Hamilton district court judge has warned polluting farmers of harsher penalties ahead as she fined a Waikato dairy farmer more than 43 thousand dollars. Audio

6:07 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:52 PM.A woman says she was shocked and dumb-founded as her eight -year-old niece told her of being touched by her primary school teacher. Audio

5:48 PM.At least a dozen tangata whenua will be recognised as part of the investitures at Government House in Wellington this week. The Governor General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, is hosting the events being held… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Cricket's international anti-corruption unit has warned police here about bribes and women being used as 'honey-pots' in preparation for two major sporting events next year. Audio

5:40 PM.The American football star shown punching his fiancee in the face, knocking her out cold, has had his contract terminated and has been suspended indefinitely by the NFL, in the wake of a shocking new… Read more Audio

5:38 PM.The National Party is accusing the Greens of potentially subverting the democractic process by using people names on submissions without those people realising. Audio

5:35 PM.The US dollar has risen more than half a cent against the New Zealand dollar today. Audio

5:26 PM.It was the most unexpected grand slam in tennis history, Croatia's Marin Cilic on a comeback after a doping ban and Japan's Kei Nishikori, the first Asian man ever to make a final. Audio

5:23 PM.A man has been killed by a shark at Byron Bay in northern New South Wales. Audio

5:14 PM.The Education Minister's defending a controversial Northland charter school, given almost five times more money per pupil than similar state schools and yet plagued by drug use, out of control… Read more Audio

5:11 PM.A Hamilton district court judge has fined a Waikato dairy farmer more than 43 thousand dollars and warned polluting farmers of harsher penalties ahead. Audio

5:08 PM.More jobs, not more money for benefits. That's John Key's response today as he dismissed calls for the Government to give more help to struggling families. Audio

5:00 PM.John Key's answer to child poverty is - more jobs - not more money for benefits. A judge warns polluting farmers of harsher penalties ahead and - Croatia's Marin Cilic wins at Flushing Meadows. Audio