A veteran New Zealand retailer is on a rent strike in what she describes as a battle to survive after losing an estimated $1 million in turnover in the last six weeks due to Covid-19. 

Homeware store Redcurrent has been trading for more more than two decades and has 10 stores - half of them in malls including Westfield. 

Under lockdown level three face-to-face retail is banned - with all malls closed - and it is uncertain what exactly will happen under alert level 2. 

Redcurrent owner Rebecca Kain says landlords cannot expect to be paid if she cannot open for business. view all

 

 
Hundreds of students and staff at Auckland's Marist College are being offered Covid-19 tests in a bid to reassure the community. Ninety-four people connected with the school have tested positive for the coronavirus, making it the country's second largest cluster. Mackenzie Smith reports. view all

 

 
 
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said like many people he had enjoyed a takeaway coffee this morning, but it was not an excuse to congregate outside cafes and eateries.

"Please do maintain the physical distancing that will be imperative in alert level 3.

"We do not want to see the sorts of rebound that we have seen in other countries." view all

 
 

 
 
Overnight on Tuesday, New Zealand moved into lockdown level 3, where takeaways and drive-throughs can reopen, so long as they can ensure completely contactless transactions. 

Many drive throughs saw huge queues of people who couldn't wait to get their first hash brown, milkshake or burger.

Producer Ellie Jay and video journalist Simon Rogers went out in the early hours to see who was first in the queue. view all

 

 
 
In Auckland, it was all about coffee and the prospect of expanding bubbles as New Zealand adjusted to life under lockdown level 3. 

Level 3 eased some restrictions to breathe some life back into the economy, and allow a few more activities - but strict bans remain on socialising or group gatherings.

With new Covid-19 safety practices in place across the board, it has taken some work, but businesses and shoppers say they are just happy to get the money moving again.

Checkpoint cameraman Nick Monro and reporter Nita Blake-Persen headed out to catch the view all

 

 
 
 
The owner of an Auckland mall says some business are not paying their rent even though she's giving them a 50 percent discount and the smaller operators need more help from the government.

Glenfield Mall owner Dallas Pendergrast says some of the 115 tenants wont survive the massive restrictions on retail during lockdown down and now alert level 3.

She told the epidemic select committee on Tuesday that small businesses do not want the Prime Minister's thanks for toughing it out, they need help like rent subsidies because compassion does not pay the bill.

Mrs Pendergrast says some businesses will never re-open and the cost of running a mall is still high even thought it is largely closed. view all

 

 
A South Taranaki iwi says 70 percent of the people it stopped at a checkpoint near the small town of Patea were flouting the rules under alert level 3 and that is why some communities needs to take things into their own hands. 

A number of towns around Aotearoa have set up checkpoints screening people coming in and out, in a bid to keep Covid-19 at bay. 

Debbie Ngarewa Packer of Ngāti Ruanui says of the 40 people who passed through today, just 12 had a valid reason. view all

 
 
 

 
Staff at McDonald's in New Plymouth were braced for a rush on Tuesday morning as New Zealand adjusted to lockdown level 3 inwhich for many meant a return to work. And they weren't disappointed. Customers began queuing at the drive-through at 3.30am and by the time the fast-food restaurant opened at 5am, about 40 vehicles were snaking through the car park. RNZ reporter Robin Martin has more. view all

 

 
 
 
It was back to business for hundreds of thousands more New Zealanders on Tuesday, but business was far from usual.

Lockdown level 3 eased some restrictions to breathe some life back into the economy, and allow a few more activities.

But strict bans remain on socialising or group gatherings. With new Covid-19 safety practices in place across the board, it has taken some adjusting, but businesses and shoppers say they are just happy to get the money moving again.

Checkpoint reporter Logan Church and cameraman Dom Thomas have spent the day talking to business owners coming up with creative ways to operate under the new rules. view all

 

 
Kia ora koutou, tonight: The nationwide Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand continues. view all

 

 
Under Covid-19 Alert Level Three New Zealand's glamorous shopping strips have become ghost towns and there are fears they might never be the same again. 

Expensive rents and a sales downturn meant the retail sector was already struggling - the coronavirus has only compounded that. 

There is no clear end in sight. Under the just-announced Level Three rules, stores will only be able to open for delivery and contactless pick-up. 

Lydia Batham reports. view all

 

 
Police Minister Stuart Nash discusses the details of what Covid-19 Alert Level Three will look like when New Zealand moves out of Alert Level Four lockdown. view all

 

 
Police Minister Stuart Nash discusses the details of what Covid-19 Alert Level Three will look like when New Zealand moves out of Alert Level Four lockdown. view all

 

 
News from the business sector, including a market report.
 

 

 
Former travel managers, bar staff, event crew, and lighting technicians are among the dozens of staff who have started jobs stacking shelves at a new Countdown supermarket. 

The Auckland store is New Zealand's first online-only supermarket and will be able to fill up to 15,000 orders a week when it reaches capacity. 

It has created more than 100 new jobs - many of those have been filled by people whose worlds have been turned upside down in recent weeks from the Covid-19 fallout. 

On Thursday, Checkpoint cameraman Nick Monro and reporter Nita Blake-Persen went to meet some of them. view all

 
 
 
 

Regional health services are working harder than ever to look after vulnerable communities during the Level 4 lockdown. 

One of those is Hora Te Pai Māori health services in Kāpiti, who - aside from offering their usual medical services - is also giving out food to people who have lost their income or are struggling with the lockdown. 

This comes as the seriousness of Covid-19 hits home for the region, with confirmation this week a 70-year-old Kāpiti man died due to the disease. 

Hora Te Pai invited Checkpoint reporter Logan Church and cameraman Dom Thomas to see how they and their community are coping. view all

 

 
Covid-19 lockdown week three down and it is time to check in with two bubbles keeping video diaries for Checkpoint during the lockdown. 

The diaries come from the Oliver family of Pukekohe, including four children, and 73-year-old Tricia who specifically moved in with her son and his partner for the lockdown, making it a snug bubble of three near Wellington view all

 

 
Under Covid-19 alert level 3 rules students up to Year 10 can return to classrooms if they want to.

The Prime Minister says more people will be allowed to go back to work under level 3 and children under the age of 14 cannot legally be left home alone. 

But teachers and students will still have to keep their social distance. 

Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor has criticised the government's decision to reopen schools up to Year 10 under Alert Level Three. 

"I've got no idea how it's going to work...  It is from my mindset one of the most irresponsible decisions for New Zealand education in my time," he told Checkpoint. view all

 

 
 
Lockdown has sent many New Zealanders diving into the back of the pantry to whip up a meal from what can be found. 

Checkpoint has been swamped with queries about how long a can of peaches or beans will last, and if it is safe to eat something that does not have an expiration date on it.

Steve Thompson is the boss of Wattie's Food Safety and Quality. He revealed some secrets about the codes on the cans. view all

 

 
Kia ora koutou, tonight: The nationwide Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand continues.
  view all

 

 
 
Kia ora koutou, tonight: The nationwide Covid-19 lockdown in New Zealand continues. view all