Checkpoint for Wednesday 28 July 2021

5:05 PM.The acting Covid-19 Response Minister has conceded it was a political decision to let the Australian men's rugby team come to New Zealand despite the trans-Tasman bubble pause. 

The Wallabies have… Read more Video, Audio

5:12 PM.Australia's rugby team the Wallabies will arrive in New Zealand on Friday on a charter flight.

The details of the test series and what is being played where are yet to be ironed out, but with the… Read more Video, Audio

5:24 PM.A Far North man has taken to using poison soaked tampons to kill feral dogs, which are roaming the area and devastating local farms and wildlife.

Around 40 people turned up for a community meeting in… Read more Video, Audio

5:28 PM.The New Zealand contingent has a a brand new silver medal to bring home from Tokyo.

Hannah Osborne and Brooke Donaghue snaffled a silver in the women's double sculls a few hours ago.

They talk to… Read more Video, Audio

5:36 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6265525822001 Video, Audio

5:41 PM.The number of people living in cars and garages is on the rise in Christchurch - as many struggle to keep up with spiralling rents.

It's happening as temperatures plummet below zero, leading to… Read more Video, Audio

5:45 PM.Fiji's former health minister says the nation's health system has collapsed under the pressure of the pandemic.

There have been 715 new cases in the last 24 hours and 11 people have died from… Read more Audio

5:48 PM.The New Zealand Olympic team now has a silver and a bronze medal, and in a few hours they get the chance to complete the set with a gold.

NZ will face Fiji in the Men's Rugby Sevens final at 9pm… Read more Video, Audio

5:52 PM.Iwi and hapū are worried they are under resourced to meet growing demands from schools.

With New Zealand history about to become compulsory in schools, as well as efforts to entrench te reo, tikanga… Read more Audio

5:55 PM.To Rakiura-Stewart Island, where the first day of a two-day Covid-19 vaccination clinic is underway.

Locals were queuing before the clinic even opened its doors.

Our reporter Timothy Brown and… Read more Video, Audio

6:06 PM.Police have crunched the numbers for stolen cars in Tamaki Makaurau in the past year, and there is a pattern.

Inspector Trevor Beggs tells Lisa Owen what is on car thieves' shopping list.

  Read more Video, Audio

6:11 PM.The final phase of the mass vaccine rollout has begun with over 60s getting the call to be immunised against Covid-19.

The rollout for Group 4 will be staggered by age group - with by text or email… Read more Audio

6:15 PM.Some Fiordland businesses are calling a new vision for Piopiotahi Milford Sound 'a game changer'.

The Milford Opportunities masterplan suggests charging foreigners an access fee, banning cruise ships… Read more Audio

6:20 PM.Just over 20 years ago at the end of the '90s, a generation of Pasifika dragged the memory of the Dawn Raids from under the rug.

Pacific creativity broke out into a hive of popularity, declaring an… Read more Video, Audio

6:24 PM.Greater Sydney will stay in lockdown for another four weeks.

The state has yet to get a grip on the growing number of delta variant cases - recording another 177 locally acquired cases today.

… Read more Audio