News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6309364713112

Some restaurants and cafes are cutting short their working week, in some hospitality businesses executives are doing dishes and changing sheets because of severe staff shortages.

Last week Sealord revealed it is 300 workers short. At the same time the Seek website showed 2591 hospitality vacancies nationwide, including about 400 in Queenstown.

The aged care sector is short an estimated 1000 registered nurses. Both the NZ Nurses Organisation and Health NZ have raised concerns about nurses being excluded from the same fast track to residency as doctors - instead having to wait two years to the start the process.

Businesses are looking to government for some relief. Immigration Minister Michael Wood talks to Lisa Owen.

Air New Zealand is warning there could be more disruptions to come as wild weather, sickness and engineering issues have already disrupted some school holiday travel.

The airline has brought back its Covid or sickness flexibility policy to help to ease some of the pressure, with more than 2500 people swapping their tickets for credit already.

But what happens when the airline cancels on you?

A passenger Checkpoint heard from was booked to fly Auckland to Christchurch with Jetstar on Saturday. Her flight was cancelled and she was offered a full refund.

She then booked a $400 ticket with Air NZ as she had to get to Christchurch. The airline then cancelled the flight due to "operational issues" and offered an alternative booking or flight credit. There was no refund offer.

Air NZ declined to be interviewed and could not confirm how many flights have been cancelled in the past week.

John Duffy from Consumer NZ talks to Lisa Owen.

A young family has been left traumatised and scared after 10 youths ram raided their North Shore dairy, which they live above.

Nimesh Patel was woken by an alarm just before 1am, peering out his window to see several kids and teens smashing stolen vehicles through his shopfront.

Ten suspects then sped off, tracked by the police chopper, over Auckland Harbour Bridge before being arrested several kilometres from the crime scene.

Mr Patel told Checkpoint the attack's left his family frightened, and his shop ruined.

Nick Truebridge and cameraman Nick Monro have the story.

After a three-year upgrade in Canada, the naval vessel HMNZS Te Mana has returned to New Zealand shores.

The frigate and her 170-strong crew sailed into Waitematā Harbour this morning with Minister of Defence Peeni Henare on board for a ceremonial homecoming.

Also on board is new self defence missile technology, radar, and hull-mounted sonar.

Mohammad Alafeshat has more.

A crowd of locals have given a behind the scenes look at Whanganui Port, ahead of its planned $50 million revamp.

It's the first community-led management project since the Whanganui River gained legal status as Te Awa Tupua.

Our Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.

The remains of more than 100 Moriori have been returned today, repatriated from London's Natural History Museum where they've been held for a century.

It's the largest-ever return of ancestors, and they were welcomed in a ceremony at Te Papa this morning.

Ashleigh McCaull and cameraman Angus Dreaver were there.

SPCAs around Aotearoa are heaving and the Christchurch branch is no exception after more than 20 puppies were dumped near the Waimakariri River.

That means foster pet parents are close to maxed out, when usually winter tends to provide a bit of a breather.

But not so this year, with kittens and puppies still turning up. SPCA Centre Manager for Christchurch and Ashburton Natasha Sutton talks to Lisa Owen.

In Dunedin excitement is building ahead of the return of top tier international rugby to the southern city.

The All Blacks will take on Ireland in the second test at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday in what will mark the first truly international test match in the South Island, complete with foreign fans able to travel, since the French toured in 2018.

Our Otago-Southland reporter, Timothy Brown, is braving a pretty bitter and wet Dunedin evening and joins us now from the Octagon.

News from the business sector, including a market report. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6309270207112