Checkpoint

The opening of a $56 million Taranaki Cancer Centre in New Plymouth is being described as life changing for people living with the disease in the region, and for the professionals who care for them. About 300 patients a year have had to make the three-hour trek to Palmerston North for radiation treatment - lasting sometimes just minutes - but now 80 percent of radiation treatment will be done locally. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin was at the opening.

Efforts are underway to save the last five big cats from a Whangarei Wildlife park. The lions are effectively on death row after the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary closed its gates to the public last weekend and is up for sale. Two were euthanised on Wednesday. Animal rescue HUHA is now involved and its founder Carolyn Press-McKenzie spoke to Lisa Owen.

Alan Nichol, Brian Edwards, Mark Lee, Phillip Loving, Graeme Rabbits and Allan Ranapia. These six men have died in incidents involving cardan shaft parking brakes since 2010. A coroner investigating Graeme Rabbits' death has declared the brakes inherently unsafe. It's an assessment the N-Z Transport Agency doesn't agree with. But key transport industry figures are backing the coroner, and Graeme Rabbits' father Selwyn is campaigning for change so no one else is killed. Checkpoint's Louisa Cleave and Jimmy Ellingham report.

There should be a criminal investigation into police officers fraudulently recording alcohol breath tests that didn't happen, according to the Defence Lawyers Association. About a 120 officers are the subject of employment investigations relating to about 30,000 alcohol breath tests in total. None of the officers have been stood down. Co-chair of Te Matakahi, the Defence Lawyers Association, Elizabeth Hall spoke to Lisa Owen.

The government is no longer soley focued on attracting Blockbuster films like the Lord of the Rings and Avatar to these shores, it's now hoping to give the industry a boost by offering incentives to smaller productions, too. Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today it's expanding eligibility for the International Screen Production Rebate scheme to allow smaller budget productions and digital effects only projects to benefit from the rebate. One actor says the changes couldn't comes soon enough. Kim Baker Wilson reports.

A person who witnessed a fatal bus crash in Rotorua last night says the car involved appeared to cross the centre line. A passenger in the car was killed and the driver and another passenger were critically injured after it collided with a bus full of school children.

Another horror story has emerged of an overseas weight-loss operation gone wrong. Manawatu woman Helen Watson's spent six weeks in hospital since returning from Turkey, unable to eat, drink or walk. She's endured a further six operations and more could be on the cards. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns will play in their respective finals of the Pacific Championships in Sydney on Sunday. A year ago the Kiwis were on the verge of being relegated from the top competition and having avoided demotion they could now win it all. For the Kiwi Ferns it's another year trying to get one over the Australians to lift the silverware. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some shoppers have been surprised in recent weeks to find items from the women's fashion label Augustine for sale at discount website The Outlet at a fraction of their normal price. So what's going on, and what does it mean for shoppers - and the brand itself? Money correspondent Susan Edmunds spoke to Lisa Owen.

Asia correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about a deadly typhoon which killed more than 100 people in the Philippines that has now made its way to Vietnam, as well as a search continuing for several climbers killed in an avalanche in the Himalayas.