RNZ: Checkpoint

Next time a vintage aircraft flies overhead there's a good chance it's being propelled by the handiwork of a man from Manakau, an hour north of Wellington. For over 25 years Jeff Fox has created wooden propellers for classic aircraft like tiger moths and sopwith camels. He can put up to 300 hours of work into each handcrafted propeller for clients including First World War aviation buff Sir Peter Jackson. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

United Kingdom correspondent Edward O'Driscoll spoke to Lisa Owen about the UK's medicine regulators warning that popular weight-loss jabs could be linked to hundreds of people getting sick and 10 deaths, as well as the latest Scottish words added to the Oxford English Dictionary.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Cristiano Ronaldo has landed a two year deal with a Saudi Arabia club worth over a billion dollars. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

The watchdog that settles disputes about essential services like electricity and gas believes it should be mandatory for water suppliers to sign up to the scheme. Utilities Disputes is an independent disputes resolution service; its compulsory for gas and electricity companies and broadband installers to be part of the scheme. But it's voluntary for water suppliers. It comes after Checkpoint revealed 13,000 Watercare smart meters are not working properly, leaving some customers struggling to pay big catch-up bills and frustrated by Watercare's service. Watercare is a voluntary member of Utilities Disputes, which means it has to refer any complaints to the service, customers can't make complaints directly. Utilities Disputes Commissioner Neil Mallon spoke to Lisa Owen.

Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Controller Andrew White spoke to Lisa Owen about the evacuations and state of emergency in place for residents at the top of the South Island as wild weather and flooding battered the country. 

A state of emergency remains in place for Nelson and Tasman and part of Marlborough, after heavy rain pelted the top of the south, causing widespread flooding, forcing evacuations, and closing roads. Residents in Spring Creek were evacuated this morning, with further evacuations called for in Renwick, Tadmor and Tapawera this afternoon. In Auckland, thunderstorms downed trees and lifted roofs in Auckland. Samantha Gee reports. 

The father of a boy using ADHD medication is rationing his sons medication because of drug shortages and is worried things will get worse when new prescribing rules are introduced. From next year GPs and specialist nurses will be able to diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD. But there is a world-wide shortage of the drugs. Pharmac's website shows there's no stock for nine types of the drugs and low stock for two others. Half a dozen others have no supply issues. Auckland dad Craig has a ten year old son who takes one of the ADHD medications that has supply problems, he spoke to Lisa Owen.

Economists having been telling us survive til 2025', but so far this year things don't seem to have improved that much, particularly for those out of work. The job market is sluggish, with people looking for jobs facing a huge amount of competition. At last count the unemployment rate was 5.1% or 156,000 people at the March quarter. Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Lisa Owen.

Across the ditch the British and Irish Lions tour is set to kick off in Perth while the Barbarians super squad head to Cape Town with a number of All Blacks in tow for a game with the Springboks. Sports reporter Jamie Wall spoke to Lisa Owen.

Asia Correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about confusion over whether a trade deal has been struck between the US and China, as well as a massive beach resort set to open in North Korea, that leader Kim Jong-un hopes will boost tourism. 

Everyone has had school reports saying we could try harder, but imagine a teacher telling your parents they hope you won't be back in class next term or that they can only hope and pray for your future. Today is the last day of term and most schools have issued children's mid-year reports knowing that teachers' general comments will get as much attention as the grades children have achieved. Education correspondent John Gerritsen reports.

The Nelson Tasman region and parts of Marlborough are in states of emergency with torrential rain causing wide spread flooding and landslips. There are road closures at the top of the South Island on State Highways 6, 60 and 63. The Transport Agency is asking people to avoid unnecessary travel. About 60 homes in the town of Spring Creek had to be evacuated by 9am this morning because of concerns a damaged stop bank protecting the settlement from the Wairau River could fail. Manager of Spring Creek Holiday Park Judy Theron spoke to Lisa Owen. 

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about a push in Australia for schools to do more to tackle declining standards among their students by doing more to improve their writing skills.

The sudden death of MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp in the early hours of this morning has brought members from across the house together today. Flags in the capital have been flying at half mast for the Te Pati Maori MP for Tamaki Makarau, who was at parliament just yesterday. Takutai Tarsh Kemp, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday, revealed she was diagnosed with kidney disease last year. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Moana Pasifika may have had their best season on the field to date, but off field financial dramas are plaguing the franchise. Reports have emerged that Moana have been larely reliant on tax payer funds to survive, and that funding is now under threat of being pulled. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

The fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran is still holding , but Iran's supreme leader remains hidden in a bunker, fearing assassination. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has gone to ground, issuing no public statements. The conflict has left some citzens, who had hoped for regime change, conflicted. Sahar Zand, a British-Iranian journalist who spent the first 12 years of her life in Iran, before fleeing with her mother to avoid political persecution, spoke to Lisa Owen.

A huge catch-up bill has left one Watercare customer stressed out and "pissed off' and she says the problem is still not fixed. Checkpoint has revealed that more than 13 thousand Watercare smart meters are not working properly. It means customers have been gettting zero use bills; bills that claim they havent used a single drop of water in a month or in some cases months. Watercare said the problem is specific to a particular smart meters. They have installed about 40,000 of them since 2022, and there's a fault with about a third of them. Watercare chief financial officer Angela Neeson spoke to Lisa Owen.

A music licensing organisation is chasing up hundreds of businesses a week asking them to pay-up for the tunes they are using, so that artists get what they are owed. A Hawkes Bay florist told Checkpoint she was called by One Music to see if she was paying licence fees, which she was not. Despite only listening to the radio on her phone out the back of her shop, the music licensing organisation told her to buy a licence or turn the music off. Onemusic Director, Greer Davies spoke to Lisa Owen.

A year on from the devastating Wairoa Flood and residents still fear for their lives when it rains. When the Wairoa River burst its banks, it tore through over 400 properties, causing 40 million dollars of damage. Alexa Cook reports.

Danish tennis player Holger Rune has put some of his mangled rackets up for sale, with a price tag close to $12,000 for charity. With news of Rune's new online venture sports reporter Felicity Reid scoured the internet to find some other unusual items sports stars have parted with. She spoke to Lisa Owen.

The head of a provincial referees assocation has said fewer people are putting their hands up to referee, with side line abuse escalating. Horowhenua Kapiti Rugby Football Union has cancelled all club and college games this weekend after a referee officiating a college match "was subjected to serious verbal abuse and physical intimidation". The union earlier this year warned it would consider cancelling games after someone threatened to stab a referee. Referee in Horewhenua Kapiti and secretary for Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Referees Association Quentin Hathaway spoke to Lisa Owen.

Washington DC correspondent Zach Montellaro spoke to Lisa Owen about Donald Trump riding a high after his trip to the NATO summit in the Netherlands. NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte was full of praise for the president who he called "daddy", referring to Trump's handling of the Israel-Iran conflict. The US president has long demanded all members in the alliance bump up their defence spend.

Families are booking holidays a year in advance to get an affordable escape and airlines and accomodation providers are wise to people sneaking off a day or so before official school holidays, one travel agent told Checkpoint. Air New Zealand expects more than 745,000 to take to the skies over the july break; 465,000 domestic and 280,000 international travellers. Associate Minister for Education David Seymour has previously warned parent condoned truancy, like taking days off to bag cheap flights, could result in prosecution. Managing Director of World Travellers Motueka Silvana Gottini spoke to Lisa Owen.

Asia correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about Thai citizens being banned from crossing the land border into Cambodia as relations between the Southeast Asian countries break down, as well as a tourist who fell from an active volcano in Indonesia who has been found dead.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

After being humiliated in their first two FIFA Club World Cup games, Auckland City produced a miracle in Nashville, drawing 1-1 with South American giants Boca Juniors. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

Parents who raised concerns about what they say is a dangerous school bus stop near Nelson have been told most of their children dont qualify for the free ride. Some students have to cross the busy 100km/h state highway 60 near Mapua to get to the bus, something parents believe is an accident waiting to happen. They asked for the Ministry of Education to move the stop one kilometre up the road, to a safer area for kids taking the bus to Waimea and Garin colleges in Richmond. Since then one of the schools has told families the Ministry is looking at taking most of the students off the free school bus service because they dont actually qualify for it. Sarah Taylor, a mum of two who's been leading the charge to change the bus route, spoke to Lisa Owen.

Rangitahi whose parent, or parents, have been locked away in prison say more needs to be done to ensure they're not punished for the crimes of their mothers or fathers. They've formed a youth advisory panel which today met with Children's Minister Karen Chhour on the steps of Parliament. They handed her an open letter calling for the establishment of a whanau navigator role in criminal district courts to help those left behind when someone's sent to jail. Louise Ternouth reports.

Retirement commissioner Jane Wrightson believes the government should be considering means testing what is currently a universal benefit, an idea she concedes is unpopular. Data from the 2023 census shows more than 9000 people aged over 65 earn more than $200,000 a year. Another 33,000 earn between $100,000 and $200,000. Treasury estimates superannuation costs the government about 18 cents of every dollar it collects in tax, or more than 24 billion dollars this year. Honorary Associate Professor of Economics at Auckland University, Susan St John, spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some Aucklanders have received Watercare bills that claim they have not used a single drop of water in the past month, or in some cases for months, no showers had, no toilets flushed, no house plant watered, no kettles filled; nothing. Online forums confused customers are asking about receiving zero use bills, others say they've had enormous catch-up accounts months after getting zero bills, all due to Watercare's smart metres. Checkpoint spoke to a few customers.

A detective giving evidence in the murder trial of Julia DeLuney says he locked down the scene when he saw the amount of blood around the house. And for the first time, the court has heard from the murder accused herself in the form of her initial statement to police, as the trial wraps up its third day. Kate Green reports.

The Whanau Ora commissioning agency is being issued a 'please explain' after it launched an ad campaign encouraging Maori to sign up to the Maori electoral roll. It's prompted concern from senior ministers who say government departments should not be pushing political objectives. The agency has two contracts with Te Puni Kokiri for Whanau Ora services, one of which expires on Monday. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

As a fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel continues to hold for now, the government is working to get more than 200 New Zealanders out of the region, though some are trying to make their own way home in difficult and dangerous circumstances. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters is urging them to hunker down and stay safe, as a New Zealand Defence Force Hercules makes its way to the Middle East to help bring them home. The almost two weeks of conflict and a temporary airport closure in Qatar has caused chaos at the borders and some frightening encounters for kiwi travellers. Some of the lucky ones landed safely back on New Zealand soil today. Mary Argue reports.

New Zealand sprint queen Zoe Hobbs has broken the New Zealand and Oceania 100-metre record once again at the latest World Athletics continental tour event in the Czech Republic. Hobbs produced an electric return to form with a time of 10.94 seconds, her first sub-11 second performance in nearly two years. Sports correspondent Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

Middle East correspondent Perry Wilton spoke to Lisa Owen about US efforts to seal a ceasefire betwen Iran and Israel, which have seen a rocky start. However, the ceasefire appears to be holding, with both Iran and Israel claiming victory after 12 days of strikes.

A Hawkes Bay florist has had her music listening habits nipped in the bud. Francie Croy listens to tunes on her phone while she works at her Waipukurau store. The florist was contacted by a music licensing organisation and told to turn the music off at the flower shop or buy a licence. The fee comes from OneMusic, which issues licences for certain music to be played in a commercial setting, so artists get their royalties. That includes music played while people are on hold on the phone, at a hairdressing salon, music radio in the background at the office or thumping tunes on the factory floor, there is a cost to anything outside of personal use. E-Central Flowers owner Francie Croy spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about the push for the incoming social media ban for those aged under 16, which is now set to be expanded to include Youtube.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Blood covered the walls along a hallway and the carpet near where a body lay at an otherwise pristine home. In the High Court at Wellington, Julia DeLuney faces trial, accused of murdering her mother inside that house, possibly using a vase as a weapon. Kate Green reports.

An Australian broadcast network has been criticised for zooming in on a crying child during Carlton's AFL shock loss to North Melbourne on the weekend. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.