Checkpoint for Thursday 8 December 2022

6:12 PM.Dame Patsy Reddy has been a life-long rugby fan and now she'll have more power than any woman has ever had at New Zealand Rugby. The former Governor-General will become the first woman to be chair of… Read more Audio

6:07 PM.A newly-prioritised spending plan and fresh ministerial line-up are part of Labour's plan to reset the political landscape for the start of next year - election year. The government's been under… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.The Opposition says a workforce "crisis" is begining to emerge in the Defence Force as personnel leave for better salaries. A ship deployed on a fisheries patrol operation around pacific nations had… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.A Marokopa man missing with his three children for almost a year is being helped to stay off the grid by at least one person, and may have found a structure of some sort to live in, according to… Read more Video, Audio

5:32 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6316785043112 Video, Audio

5:29 PM.Wordle, Queen Elizabeth, how to do a RAT test. Among the most popular topics we've turned to Google for this year. Covid-related searches feature highly in New Zealand's top-ten searches, as do major… Read more Audio

5:25 PM.Auckland Transport is having a six-week trial of small pets on all Auckland bus services from Boxing Day. The catch - they have to be in a carrier that sits on its owner's lap. AT's Group Manager of… Read more Video, Audio

5:22 PM.New Zealand Rugby could well be set to break with tradition, and appoint a new All Blacks coach before a World Cup begins. With the future of Crusaders coach Scott Robertson resurfacing this week -… Read more Video, Audio

5:16 PM.The government is promising a circuit-breaker in its bid to halt youth crime, fast-tracking support for young children who break the law. It's the latest in a series of announcements rolled out by… Read more Audio

5:13 PM.Three years after a damning report into workplace culture at fire stations and other parts of Fire and Emergency, a new review has found bullying and harassment are still rife. The board of Fire and… Read more Audio