Checkpoint

The Prime Minister insists the government and iwi are aligned on improving outcomes for Māori, as he makes his return to Waitangi. Christopher Luxon is back at the Treaty Grounds after skipping last year - and has met face-to-face with iwi leaders. Political reporter Giles Dexter is at Waitangi

Some Wellington beaches are off limits with massive amounts of raw sewage being pumped out to sea after a treatment plant was swamped in contaminated water, during heavy rain. It could take months to repair the damage at the Moa Point treatment plant. During heavy rain last night water backed up in the outfall pipe and flooded the site in metres deep raw sewage. Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty spoke to Lisa Owen.

Canterbury police are searching for a precious Olympic medal that was stolen in a burglary. Rowing legend Les O'Connell's gold medal was stolen from his home in the Christchurch suburb of Strowan around the early hours of Monday morning. The medal holds huge sentimental value to him, and he has pleaded for whoever has it to do the right thing. Police are now appealing to people who may have CCTV footage that could help them in the hunt. Christchurch Detective Nigel Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Christchurch community leader has made an emotional plea to the city's councillors to stop ignoring locals' concerns about the foul stench pouring from Bromley's sewage plant. It comes after some residents walked out of a fiery public meeting last night, frustrated by the council's inaction five years after fire damaged the plant, and as complaints about the odour continue to pour in. Anna Sargent reports.

A man is in hospital and the police watchdog has been alerted after a shooting in the Hamilton suburb of Whitiora this morning. Police shot a man who was wanted over a violent incident, after he pulled a shotgun on officers.

A long-term fix for an historic suspension bridge, whose cabling is sagging into the river below, could be decided next month. The Opiki toll bridge in southern Manawatu is a well-known landmark for many motorists driving to and from Wellington along State Highway 56. But, for the second time in just over two years, the ageing structure requires repair. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

One of the headline acts of this month's Winter Olympics insists that her Games is not over despite suffering a serious knee injury last week. American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, who came out of retirement to earn a spot in the US Olympic team at age 41, has confirmed she ruptured her ACL after crashing out of an event in Switzerland last week. However, Vonn says she still plans to compete in the women's downhill at the Milano Cortina Olympics, in what she hopes could yet be a comeback against all odds. Sports reporter Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

At least half a dozen Christchurch bottle stores have banned the sale of Nitro Vodka in an effort to get or renew their liquor licences. The shops have agreed to... or even suggested the condition during their applications to the District Licensing Committee in the past three years. It prompted the owner of Nitro, to take legal action, claiming the alcohol and energy drink combined, is being unfairly targeted. Paul McMahon of Community Action on Youth and Drugs Otautahi has championed the case against Nitro and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Americas correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about thousands of documents related to the dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein being removed by the US Department of Justice just days after being made public. According to lawyers for the disgraced financier's victims, dozens of survivors had their identities compromised in the latest release.

Unemployment has hit a 10 year high, as it rose to 5.4 percent in the December quarter up from 5.3 in the previous quarter. That means another 5000 people have joined the unemployment queue, taking the total to 165,000. The numbers were revealed just hours after the Warehouse group confirmed it is cutting 270 jobs. Chief forecaster for economics consultants Infometrics, Gareth Keirnan spoke to Lisa Owen.