Shows / Checkpoint
Checkpoint
Checkpoint with Lisa Owen is RNZ’s weekday drive-time news programme, Our people, stories and breaking news and interviews from 4-6pm.
Episodes
- Checkpoint
Evening update from Australia
Australia's housing crisis continues to be an issue dominating politics across the tasman -- as the major parties there attempt to gain the political high…
- Checkpoint
Evening business for 13 August 2026
News from the business sector, including a market report.
- Checkpoint
Tall Blacks go to Philippines for World Cup qualifiers
The Tall Blacks are headed back to the safe haven of the Philippines for this month's World Cup qualifiers due to conflict in the Middle East. With games…
- Checkpoint
Voting closes in Cook Islands general election
Like New Zealand, cost of living has been top of mind for voters, with fuel costs and climbing utility bills driving a lot of debate. Visitors from around the…
- Checkpoint
Luxon rejects more than one against his leadership
The National party - having faced two leadership challenges in four months - now has just three months to convince voters it deserves a second term in…
- Checkpoint
Hospital EDs warn they are at "critical overload"
Emergency Departments already facing their busiest time of the year have been under even more pressure than usual. This week, Wellington ED recorded its…
- Checkpoint
Latest from Sylvia Park incident
Checkpoint reporter Bella Craig spoke to Melissa Chan Green from outside Sylvia Park following reports of multiple gunshots at the mall.
- Checkpoint
Researchers say new nicotine product targets young people
Oral nicotine pouches don't produce any smoke or odour - instead they're placed between the gum and upper lip. Researchers say young people are being targeted…
- Checkpoint
Richie Mo'unga joining All Blacks Africa tour
Richie Mo'unga is en route to Africa. The mercurial Mo'unga has been called into the All Blacks squad following a tour ending injury to midfielder Billy…
- Checkpoint
Otago anti-theft pen invention making waves
If you live anywhere between Oamaru and Dunedin you no longer have an excuse to mistakenly take off with someone else's pen. That's because a group of 15…
- Checkpoint
President Trump's plane switcheroo
More details on Trump's elaborate plane switch involving a catering truck and decoy plane, and the latest on a plan by ICE to give its agents electric shock…
- Checkpoint
Illegal meth pipes still on sale
Checkpoint visited five shops and found the banned pipes in three of them, some costing under $10. This comes a month after a briefing paper warnted the Health…
- Checkpoint
Reports of Gunshots at Sylvia Park
There were reports of multiple gunshots at the mall in Mt Wellington and shoppers and staff were locked inside stores as armed police responded. Checkpoint…
- Checkpoint
British summer continues to cause headaches
United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about how the British summer is continuing to cause headaches, with extreme heat, drought…
- Checkpoint
Evening business for 12 August 2026
News from the business sector, including a market report.
- Checkpoint
Southern Steel Coach welcomes bid from private investor
Southern Steel Coach Wendy Frew is welcoming news of a bid from a private investor in a domestic netball league, but said decisions would have to come soon to…
- Checkpoint
Ex-cops not guilty of obstructing justice in Alan Hall case
It's been 40 years since Alan Hall was wrongly convicted of Arthur Easton's murder and today two former police officers have been found not guilty of…
- Checkpoint
Chris Penk loses ministerial portfolios
The brevity of the speech was sign itself that the Prime Minister was not interested in going into details. 75 seconds. There was no mention then of the…
- Checkpoint
'Cigfluencer' culture has health experts concerned
'Cigfluencer' culture is taking social media by storm and the number of celebrities and influencers posting while smoking has health experts concerned. While…
- Checkpoint
Seymour on Luxon surviving leadership vote
When Christopher Luxon first survived a vote of confidence among National MPs in April, Act leader David Seymour said at the time he was pleased to see the…
- Checkpoint
NZ swimmers prepare for Pan Pacific Championships
There's no rest for some of our Commonwealth Games medallists with the swimmers back competing in the pool this week. A 15-strong New Zealand team is preparing…
- Checkpoint
Ali Williams, Anna Mowbray behind bid for new franchise
Netball New Zealand's new chief executive Jennah Wootten will have hit the ground running on her first official day in the job today. RNZ revealed that Ali…
- Checkpoint
Court sentences former Syria leader Bashar al-Assad to death
Middle East correspondent Madeline Croad spoke to Melissa Chan Green about how in Syria, a court has sentenced former leader Bashar al-Assad to death. She also…
- Checkpoint
Prime Minister survives leadership vote caucus meeting
He's not the first leader to survive a leadership challenge but Christopher Luxon is now part of a much smaller club of leaders who have stared down two votes…
- Checkpoint
Synthetic cannabis may be to blame for behaviour in Newtown
'People are unwell, people are unravelling,' those are the words of a Wellington community leader who is among those describing drug use, threats and psychotic…
- Checkpoint
Calls for Albanese to apologise after comments
In Australia, the country's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is toughing out a storm over comments he made about a gift from his Japanese counterpart. Australia…
- Checkpoint
Coronial Inquest into death of Pauline Hanna
Philip Polkinghorne has been accused of pretending to do some of the things he said he did, on the morning he found his wife dead. Dr Polkinghorne was…
- Checkpoint
Evening business for 11 August 2026
News from the business sector, including a market report.
- Checkpoint
New Zealand Breakers reveal rebrand
The New Zealand Breakers have unveiled their rebrand as pre-season training tipped off on Auckland's North Shore. Coach Gordon Herbert was in the gym for the…
- Checkpoint
Southland arm wrestling club keen to attract new members
In Southland, 'The Saw Club' is keen to attract new members through an event called 'Last Warrior Standing'. It's competitive arm wrestling. Mel Shepherd is…
- Checkpoint
Luxon calls urgent meeting to resolve speculation
With speculation over his leadership swirling, National's Christopher Luxon is calling all National MPs to the capital for an urgent in-person caucus meeting…
- Checkpoint
Link found between vaping while pregnant and SUDI
A New Zealand study has found a link between vaping during pregnancy and sudden infant deaths - also known as SUDI. On average one New Zealand baby dies from…
- Checkpoint
Ohakune residents told water will be restored gradually
After three days, Ohakune residents have been told their water will be gradually restored but it's not yet confirmed safe to drink. The Ruapehu District…
- Checkpoint
All Blacks to meet Sharks
The All Blacks are set for their second outing in South Africa. Dave Rennie's men will meet the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday in the second of four franchise…
- Checkpoint
Southland finishing school teaching girls farming skills
Finishing school is not a concept you hear so much about these days and if you did, you wouldn't associate them with the skills being taught at one in the…
- Checkpoint
Trump signs executive order around childhood vaccinations
United States correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about how Donald Trump has just signed an executive order around childhood vaccinations…
- Checkpoint
Former National MP on Luxon leadership speculation
Christopher Luxon has called for an 'urgent in-person meeting' on Wednesday at 9:30am. Any of his MPs who aren't in Wellington will need to travel back given…
- Checkpoint
UK PM set to announce tour
United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about Prime Minister Andy Burnham who is set to announce he's going on tour this week, as…
- Checkpoint
Popular Nelson pub could face closure
Clarification: The Free House was incorrectly called a former Anglican church in this audio. It is a former Reformed Church. A popular Nelson pub in a…
- Checkpoint
Evening business for 10 August 2026
News from the business sector, including a market report.
- Checkpoint
Former All Blacks coach Scott Robertson offered NRL deal
Could former All Black coach Scott Robertson be in for a shock code switch? Robertson has been offered a four year deal to become the inaugural coach of the…
- Checkpoint
Contact Energy's profit up as customers face price increases
With energy security and power bills front of mind for voters in the lead up to the election, Contact Energy has kicked off what will be a keenly watched…
- Checkpoint
Record ambulance calls pushing already stretched system
A union for St John ambulance workers says the record numbers of calls to the service in the last week is making an already stressful job harder. St John…
- Checkpoint
Ohakune without tap water for at least another day
Ohakune will be without tap water until Tuesday night, after council this afternoon confirmed the outage affecting the central North Island town would last…
- Checkpoint
Labour leader Chris Hipkins rules out working with NZ First
In an announcement without warning, Labour's leader Chris Hipkins has finally ruled out working with New Zealand First in any government he leads. Deputy…
- Checkpoint
Black Ferns squad named for packed end-of-year tests
The Black Ferns are getting ready for a packed end-of-year Test calendar. Coach Whitney Hansen named a 31-strong squad today. Sports reporter Bridget…
- Checkpoint
Mum of three leading all female lawn mowing business
Priortising family has led one mum-of-three to a life on the power tools, rather than in the hospital ward. Nearly six years ago Amanda Fitzgerald was juggling…
- Checkpoint
Sticking points between US and Iran slowing Strait reopening
Middle East correspondent Madeline Croad spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about several sticking points between the US and Iran slowing progress towards reopening…
- Checkpoint
Youthline receiving record numbers of severe calls
Children as young as seven are among the record number of callers to Youthline. The mental health service says the reason for the calls has also become more…
- Checkpoint
Free power deals overloading network and causing outages
Dunedin students on free power deals are causing overloading - leaving them cold and in the dark - and costing the lines company several hundred dollars to…
- Checkpoint
Coronet Peak gears up for the 52nd annual Dog Derby
Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland speaks to Melissa Chan-Green about the 52nd annual Dog Derby at Coronet Peak.
- Checkpoint
European nations still threatening to boycott FIFA
Europe correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about the governing body for European football still threatening to boycott Fifa, despite it…
- Checkpoint
Evening business for 7 August 2026
News from the business sector, including a market report.
- Checkpoint
Blockbuster night of boxing ahead in Auckland
A blockbuster night of boxing awaits Aotearoa this weekend. Auckland will play host to a stellar lineup of bouts tomorrow night, with David 'The Nice Guy'…
- Checkpoint
'Love nests' prove hit for threatened whitebait numbers
Building little love nests for inanga or whitebait, that's what one DOC ranger and his team spent this year's spawning season doing. Their fibrous coconut…
- Checkpoint
Waiting game for poultry industry as no new cases of bird flu emerge
A wildlife hospital has set up an off-site triage centre to assess wild birds for signs of the deadly H5 flu. There have been no new cases in the three weeks…
- Checkpoint
Difficult week for Luxon and Hipkins as new poll numbers released
After the Prime Minister has spent the week combatting record unemployment figures and navigating an apology to the business community - it is Labour leader…
- Checkpoint
El Nino to bring dry summer for water reliant sectors
El Nino and it's spiky temperatures, annoying wind and drier than normal conditions is going to dominate our summer, but won't mean consistently hot…
- Checkpoint
Councils face deadline to propose amalgation agreements
Sunday marks the deadline for District councils to submit their proposals to amalgamate with at least one other nearby authority. Council's across the country…
- Checkpoint
Black Sticks to make return to World Cup in Europe
The Black Sticks women have been missing from hockey's big events for the last four years - but this month they're back. The men's and women's World Cups are…