Checkpoint for Monday 18 December 2023

5:36 PM.A new art installation by Auckland Council is hoping to revitalise one of Central Auckland's most infamous parks. The sculpture, called Waimahara, welcomes visitors to the lower end of Myers Park with… Read more Audio

5:27 PM.Although Aotearoa has some of the strictest quarantine regulations in the world, some travellers still try to sneak in items that are not allowed. In the past three months, quarantine officers seized… Read more Audio

5:22 PM.The White Ferns are in the midst of the final one-dayer against Pakistan in Christchurch and are aiming to make it three wins in a row. Today's day-night cricket match is the White Ferns' last game… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.New Zealand is being warned it is heading towards a tragedy if more is not invested in council infrastructure, and that people need to get used to double-digit rates increases. Local Government New… Read more Audio

5:14 PM.Wellingtonians have expressed mixed feelings about the axing of the capital's major transport project. The new government and local councils have met and agreed to put an end to Let's Get Wellington… Read more Audio

5:12 PM.Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is defending using taxpayer money to pay for his te reo Maori lessons when in Opposition. Mr Luxon has recently been critical of public servants being paid to learn… Read more Audio

5:06 PM.Cairns airport is underwater as heavy rain continues to lash Queensland's far north. The remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Jasper have caused widespread destruction. The main roads into Cairns were… Read more Audio