Checkpoint for Tuesday 31 May 2022

5:06 PM."We are beside ourselves with worry and need more than anything to know the kids are well." The mother of three children who've been missing in the bush along with their father for more than five… Read more Video, Audio

5:12 PM.TVNZ's boss has launched a review into the company's hiring processes, following the departure of Breakfast host, Kamahl Santamaria.

The former Al Jazeera presenter resigned after just 32 days in the… Read more Video, Audio

5:14 PM.Christchurch Hospital is putting off planned surgery as it deals with "extremely high levels of acutely unwell people".

Compounding the problem is staff shortages because of Covid. It's an issue… Read more Audio

5:18 PM.The Productivity Commission says migrant workers' visas should not be tied to an employer, and Immigration must be based on how well the country can absorb new arrivals.

It is among 24… Read more Audio

5:23 PM.While the government tries to break up the supermarket duopoly, some parts of the country aren't even in those ranks, instead facing a monopoly.

There are a number of places where there's only one… Read more Audio

5:27 PM.Data released under the Official Information Act reveals the growing scale of New Zealand's cigarette smuggling problem.

Cigarettes are being seized at the border in alarming quantities - more than… Read more Video, Audio

5:34 PM.Te Pāti Māori and the National Māori Authority are backing calls for the establishment of an iwi bank to finance building on Māori land.

It comes after Maori housing advocates complained red tape and… Read more Audio

5:42 PM.An expert on gangs says while the current escalation of violence is concerning, it's just part of the usual cycle of gangland tensions.

Jarrod Gilbert says the police will ultimately be successful in… Read more Audio

5:50 PM.Meal kits are getting increasingly popular, and there's a new kid on the block aimed specifically at the budget-conscious student market. It's the brainchild of Otago University Nutrition research… Read more Video, Audio

5:55 PM.You've heard the phrase seeing your name up in lights, but what about seeing your face on water?

A new light installation in Wellington's Oriental Bay is projecting local faces onto the water spray… Read more Video, Audio

6:06 PM.A business expert is skeptical about whether government efforts to bust up the supermarket duopoly with make groceries cheaper.

In changes announced yesterday the two main chains will be forced to… Read more Video, Audio