Checkpoint

Some farms in Tai Rawhiti are facing huge clean up jobs and access problems following heavy rain and flooding last week. Mud and slips have cut off roads and communities higher up the coast near Hicks bay and Te Araroa. The Prime Minister has said reconnecting some of those communities could take up to six months with significant damage to State Highwway 35 and SH2. North west of Gisborne some farms near Te Karaka have had river crossing washed out. Federated Farmers Gisborne president Charlie Reynolds spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Parole Board has declined parole for convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston. The 50-year-old will remain behind bars until at least November 2027. Weatherston was an academic at Otago University and had been in a relationship with honours student Sophie Elliott. In 2008 Elliot was packing up her life to move to Wellington to take up a job at Treasury when Weatherston arrived at her home and stabbed her more than 200 times in a brutal attack. Weatherston appeared before the Parole Board this morning for the first time after serving an 18-year non-parole period. Reporter Timothy Brown attended the hearing and spoke to Lisa Owen.

One of the things former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham's son, Brooklyn, made headlines for this week was sharing "the world's most expensive" wine with his wife, Nicola Peltz. It was reportedly an 1831 vintage Château d'Yquem valued at around $33,000 a bottle. That got our money correspondent Susan Edmunds thinking about wine, including how you might go about investing in it. She spoke to Lisa Owen.

Last week's severe weather has highlighted the differing ways some small communities approach the cleanup, with some saying locals need to be empowered to muck in themselves rather than waiting for council contractors. Residents are generally discouraged from clearing slips on public land and roads and told to wait for emergency services or council contractors. However, this doesn't discourage some residents from taking matters into their own hands. So, should isolated communitiies given more power to deal with damage from weather events? Libby Kirkby-McLeod reports.

GPs and nurse prescribers will be able to diagnose attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD in adults from next week, but they won't be funded for it. Those working in the sector are warning it won't be as simple - or as cheap - as booking a 15 minute appointment. And it won't improve access for most children. Ruth Hill reports.

Jellyfish, smashed rackets and illegal grunts - the Australian Open has delivered plenty of drama this year. The four top seeded men hit the court today to secure their spot in this weekend's final. Meanwhile women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka has punched her way to her fourth final in a row, but not without a bit of controversy. Sports reporter Jamie Wall spoke to Lisa Owen.

A semi-retired specialist investigator has been called back to active duty after an intruder was discovered in a sanctuary off the coast of Rakiura, Stewart Island. Detector Gadget, a rodent sniffer dog is now patrolling Ulva Island, Te Wharawhara, after a young female rat was found in a trap there earlier this month. The island achieved predator free status in 1997 and is home to native species including the Stewart Island brown kiwi, tokoeka, the kaka, and South Island saddlebacks. Gadget's handler, Sandy King spoke to Lisa Owen.

Americas correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about President Trump preparing to reopen the airspace over Venezuela for commercial travel, after it was closed for almost a month as a result of the US Military operation to capture Nicholas Maduro.

Coromandel businesses are encouraging people to visit this weekend, despite parts of the region being hammered by severe weather last week. The last part of State Highway 25 that was closed due to damage has reopened today. But NZTA says there's still about 20 spots along the highway that are down to one lane due to slips. General manager of tourism organisation, Destination Hauraki Coromandel, Kylie Hawker Green spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about Police in Western Australia who have come under fire for taking two days to announce an investigation into a "potential terrorist attack" on Monday.