Checkpoint

As we hurtle into the so called silly season at break neck speed some of you may feel the wheels are about to fall off. On the family front there can be pressure to deliver the perfect day, cook a chef grade ham, get along with your least favourite uncle and balance the household budget. Add to that the current debate about whether the summer break is too long; with claims New Zealand effectively shuts down for the summer and beyond, giving the impression the country is closed for business. Principal Psychologist at Umbrella Wellbeing, Dougal Sutherland spoke to Lisa Owen with some advice.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about calls in Australia for an overhaul of parliamentary entitlement rules as a senior government Minister faces controversy amid daily revelations detailing how she and her family have enjoyed some of the perks of office.

The fire burning in Tongariro National Park is now contained, but the after effects are still taking a toll on the tourist hotspot's economy. It's the second major fire in just a month -- the first of which seared some 3000 hectares of the world heritage site national park. Jimmy Ellingham reports

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The All Blacks won't play in the regions for at least another three years while New Zealand Rugby cashes in on crowds in the city centres. Next year the All Blacks play just four home games. New Zealand Rugy are unapologetic about how they work out where the top teams play but say not all is lost for the smaller centres. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

It has been revealed a major RMA overhaul with two new laws replacing the Resource Management Act; a Natural Environment law and a Planning law. The planning bill would lay out what infrastructure is needed and when, with land secured for key things like roads, schools, and utilities. The changes could boost GDP by more than $3 billion a year. The Minister responsible for RMA, Chris Bishop spoke to Lisa Owen.

The coalition is heralding the single largest economic reform in a generation - as it sets out its sweeping overhaul of the RMA. The much-loathed Resource Management Act has proved a perpetual bugbear - confusing and complex. The government says its radical new approach will make that much easier. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

A manhunt is underway after one man was fatally stabbed and another injured onboard the number 76 bus in east Auckland last night. Police have described it as "appalling" and unprovoked. A passenger was attacked by another man onboard as he got off the bus. He was taken to hospital but died a short time later. Another man has had surgery on his hand after he got on the bus and was attacked minutes after the other assault. Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin spoke to Lisa Owen.

DOC is investigating after shuttle operators dropped hikers at the start of the Tongariro Alpine crossing despite a bad weather forecast, Meaning they shouldn't be on the track. Transport operators must adhere to official NIWA advisories and not take anyone to the walk if there's a bad forecast. Meanwhile multiple blazes have broken out in Tongariro, just a month after another massive wildfire ripped through three thousand hectares of the national park. Tongariro Operations Manager Libby O'Brien spoke to Lisa Owen.

Police have arrested a man after two unprovoked attacks on two passengers on an East Auckland bus last night has left one dead, and another seriously injured in hospital. The first victim got off the route 76 bus with a fatal knife wound to his torso just before 8pm, and about 10 minutes later a second person boarded the same bus and was also stabbed. A warning, Lucy Xia's report contains details listeners may find distressing.