Checkpoint

An urgent SOS has gone out over rural health services. Six staff at the Pahiatua Medical Centre have resigned amid growing concern around extreme workloads and patient safety. In a series of letters to clinic owners Tararua Health Group and the PHO staff have laid out a litany of serious issues. Public health advocacy groups Kaitiaki Hauora and Patient Voice Aotearoa are now holding meetings in Pahiatua, Woodville and Dannevirke starting tomorrow. Patient Voice Aotearoa co-founder, Malcolm Mulholland spoke to Lisa Owen.

After National and Labour unveiled their plans to break up the supermarket duopoly, Te Pāti Māori has today added its own policy to the pre-election mix. It will campaign on a $3.1 billion plan for "kai sovereignty", including funding for Māori owned supermarkets if elected. Political reporter Lillian Hanly spoke to Lisa Owen.

Tairāwhiti's beaches are some of the most well-known and loved in New Zealand, but they're now always covered in forestry slash. The debris is swept down from forestry blocks in the rain. It's a constant reminder the region is still struggling with industry practices that led to catastrophic damage in disasters like Cyclone Gabrielle and Cyclone Hale three years ago. Teuila Fuatai reports.

The Wellington based Tokomanawa Queens have pulled off another massive coup for the national women's basketball league. Last month the Queens announced Charlisse Ledger Walker would be playing in New Zealand for the first time in six years following her debut season in the American Basketball league. Now they have lured high profile WNBA player Hailey Van Lith to the franchise. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

Surgery is a delicate, precision operation at the best of times, but imagine if your patient weighs less than four grams. Massey University vets were faced with exactly that prospect when they patched up a native skink. The tiny creature had been attacked by a cat in Whanganui and had a serious puncture wound on its side. Ingrid Brookshaw, a Veterinary resident at Massey Wildbase Hospital led the surgery, and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about the deaths of several women and children in alleged domestic violence incidents across New South Wales, as well as fears of bird flu wiping out the endangered Australian sea lion as four more cases are confirmed.

Six staff at a rural medical centre have tendered their resignations over patient safety and workload concerns. Last week a nurse practitioner at the Pahiatua Medical Centre told Checkpoint patients would die if something didn't change and quickly. Staff threatened a mass walk out if a review and action plan weren't put in place, and after meeting with managers, six have decided to go. Registered nurse, Mark Emmerson is one of them and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Table tennis is proving popular among dozens of people living with Parkinson's disease across New Zealand. This Saturday a Ping Pong Parkinson's NZ tournament is taking place in Palmerston North. Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland spoke to Lisa Owen about the event.

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about King Charles weighing in on artificial intelligence, issuing a stark warning about its potential dangers, as well as a wildfire in south-west London leading to a major breakthrough in the case of a woman who went missing nearly seven years ago.

It's do or die for the Warriors this weekend. Should they lose to the Newcastle Knights on Sunday at Eden Park, their season is over. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.