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Checkpoint

Checkpoint with Lisa Owen is RNZ’s weekday drive-time news programme, Our people, stories and breaking news and interviews from 4-6pm.

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All Episodes

00:05:23

All Blacks without captain for opening Bledisloe Cup...

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/25

The All Blacks will be without captain Scott Barrett for this weekend's opening Bledisloe Cup test at Eden Park. He suffered a shoulder injury in the record defeat to South Africa in Wellington and hasn't recovered in time to take on the Wallabies. However, a few other frontline players are back from injury, with coach Scott Robertson making several changes from the team that suffered a record defeat to the Springboks. Rugby reporter Joe Porter spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:06:06

Therapy dog helping calms nerves of learner drivers

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/25

A Rottweiller dog in Hawkes Bay is helping calm people's nerves as they prepare to sit the theory test for their learner's licence. Three-year-old therapy dog Penny Pickles is part of the team at Learner Licence Theory Tararua. Many of the people they help through the test have additional learning challenges and Penny is there to offer a helping paw or four. Nikki Martin is Penny Pickles' right-hand human and spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:05:23

Deadly shooting at Texas immigration centre

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/25

United States correspondent Todd Zwilich spoke to Lisa Owen about a deadly shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement centre in Texas.

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00:09:53

Are New Zealanders pessimists?

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/25

Are Kiwis pessimists? The most recent GDP figures took a hit recently - shrinking more than expected. Cost of living is up, August figures show grocery prices up more than four and half percent on the year previous. The unemployment rate was about 3.6% in June 2023 and is now 5.2%. Robert MacCulloch holds the Matthew S. Abel Chair of Macroeconomics at the University of Auckland and is regarded as a leading voice on "happiness economics". He spoke to Lisa Owen about whether all the stats are

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00:04:18

Trump shares sharp words for EU at UNGA

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

UK correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about Donald Trump's sharp words for Europe at the United Nations General Assembly.

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00:04:34

Silver Ferns one win away from Taini Jamison Trophy

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

The Silver Ferns can win the Taini Jamison trophy if they beat South Africa in the second Test in Napier tonight. Despite the turmoil surrounding Dame Noeline Taurua's shock departure the Ferns pulled off a dominant victory on Sunday. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:04:29

Auckland councillors vote on housing intensification...

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

Auckland councillors have voted on two plans for housing intensification, which one says is like choosing between a firing squad and a lethal injection. The future allocation of up to 2 million new homes was covered by what's known as Plan Change 78. It allowed three-storey residential buildings anywhere in the city, but the government is letting the council back down from this if it comes up with a replacement. Jessica Hopkins reports.

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00:05:35

Sentiment sours over PM's performance - survey

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

The Prime Minister and Finance Minister are brushing off the bruising verdict of business leaders as sentiment sours on their performance. The Herald's annual Mood of the Boardroom survey has canvassed the views of 150 executives and chairs as the government battles to turn around the flagging economy. And despite holding the most pivotal Cabinet positions, neither Christopher Luxon, nor Nicola Willis, are ranked in the top 10. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:07:29

Kiwi teen says flotilla heading to Gaza under drone...

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

A kiwi teenager on a protest boat destined for Gaza said the flotilla is under attack from drones in international waters. 18 year old Sam Leason is onboard the Sirius in the Mediterranean Sea between Crete and coast of Libya. Earlier this month, a flotilla of 70 boats set sail from Europe carrying humanitarian aid, seeking to break the Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory. Leason spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:02:49

Town Hall treasures for sale at Wellington tip shop

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

Wellingtonians keen on a chair their favourite councillor once sat on or a light fitting that maybe shone on The Beatles can now head to the dump. The capital city's famous tip shop is selling furniture and fixtures no longer required in the 120-year-old Town Hall, which is undergoing a facelift. The earthquake-prone central city building has been shut since 2013 and its redevelopment has proved contentious, after costs ballooned from 182 to 330 million dollars. Nick James reports.

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00:08:38

AI chatbot hatches murder scheme

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

What happens when a chat bot suggests you murder someone, specifically your father?Australian IT professional, Samuel McCarthy posed as teenage boy for a conversation with AI chatbot Nomi. He told the chatbot that sometimes he hated his father. The bot's response was violent and specific. Queensland University of Technology Law Lecturer, Henry Fraser has seen the whole transcript of the chatbot murder chat and Spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:04:15

Three months on from disposable vape ban students...

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

Three months since disposable vapes were banned from shelves some schools say they're still grappling with students vaping and a researcher studying the long-term health effects is calling for vapes to be made prescription only. In June the goverment's ban on disposable vapes and strict advertising rules kicked in, meaning specialist vape stores must keep the products hidden from outside view. Non-specialist retailers aren't allowed to display the products at all. The Vaping Industry

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00:03:06

Peters tight-lipped about Trump's statehood comments

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

US President Donald Trump has told world leaders the war in Gaza must be stopped, though he says recognising Palestine will only reward Hamas.Mr Trump's comments in the UN General Assembly debate come as a growing number of member states move to recognise Palestine, to keep a two-state solution alive. Foreign affairs minister Winston Peters will outline New Zealand's position on Saturday, and ahead of that he was coy about responding to Mr Trump's comments. Anneke Smith reports.

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00:04:34

Risk of match fixers targetting NZ footballers

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

There's troubling signs New Zealand footballers are being targeted by international match fixers. An RNZ investigation has revealed more than $200 million was wagered on New Zealand's national league last season through overseas bookies, raising alarm bells for sport integrity experts. Officials warn with a surge in betting activity comes the increased risk of match fixing and corruption. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:04:28

Waikato food rescue saves hundreds of kilos of waste

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

A Waikato food rescue group is harvesting hundreds of kilos of backyard bounty fruit that would other wise go to waste. Go Eco Food has been going for more than a decade but recently appealed to people with more home grown produce than they can use to donate it for re-distribution. Its chief executive Jo Wrigley spoke to Lisa Owen.

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00:05:03

Typhoon Ragasa lashes southeast Asia

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

Asia correspondent Adam Hancock spoke to Lisa Owen about Typhoon Ragasa killing multiple people in Taiwan.

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00:06:13

Proposed Lake Hawea liqour store faces local opposition

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/24

It's estimated about a quarter of the people in a small south island town are objecting to plans for an off licence liquor store in their neighbourhod. More than 540 Lake Hawea residents are opposed to Super liquor getting a licence to operate what would be the town's only free standing offie. There's just over two-thousand three hundred residents in the village.The store would be on the corner of Longview Drive and Burdon Loop close to a local playgound. And it's proposed opening hours are

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00:07:10

Telecommunications service outage linked to a number...

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/23

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about ongoing investigations into a service outage affecting telecommunications provider Optus. It left people unable to call the emergency Triple-Zero number - which has now been linked to a number of deaths.

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00:04:47

Education minister absent from PPTA annual conference

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/23

When the Post-Primary Teachers Association marked the roll at its annual conference in Christchurch today there was a notable absentee - Education Minister Erica Stanford. The excuse she gave for pulling out of a speech this afternoon didn't go down well in a room awash with talk of industrial action, scrapping NCEA, subject changes and teacher shortages. Keiller MacDuff reports.

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00:04:09

All Blacks scoring issues could swing Bledisloe Cup

Checkpoint ·

2025/09/23

The All Blacks' ability to score second half tries, could have a major bearing on whether they hold onto the Bledisloe Cup. The All Blacks host Australia at Eden Park this weekend in the first trans-Tasman test of the year. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

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1,776 results

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