20 Jul 2010

Morning Report: local papers

6:54 am on 20 July 2010

Tuesday's headlines: Government to scrap plans to mine pristine conservation land; real estate agents are dobbing in their colleagues to the new Real Estate Agents Authority; Dunedin armed offenders squad called out three times within six hours on Monday.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald says the Government is to scrap plans to mine some of the country's most pristine conservation land.

The paper says John Key will rule out mining in all of the land the Government was considering opening to prospecting, including Great Barrier Island, Paparoa National Park and Coromandel.

A West Auckland man seriously wounded when police shot him, was armed with an air rifle stolen from a neighbour.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post leads with the killing of an elderly man dedicated to getting drinkers home safely, by a woman three times the legal alcohol limit.

Real estate agents are dobbing in their colleagues for offences ranging from poaching clients to assault. Some 13% of complaints to the new Real Estate Agents Authority are from within the industry.

A German Shepherd pup that is being trained to be a police dog, is pictured.

The Press

The Press reports police are defending the Taser stun gun despite two failures in the past week. But they are conceding the taser may not work after getting tangled in clothing.

Mayor Bob Parker is accusing the left of conspiring against him, after a decision by former MP Liz Gordon not to contest the mayoralty, leaving the field open for Wigram MP Jim Anderton.

A radio station in Christchurch may be fined up to $30,000 after its classical and nostalgic music interfered with police communications.

ODT

The Government dropping its mining plans leads The Otago Daily Times.

Dunedin City Council has secured $126,000 from the Government for a campaign to lure home former Otago students.

The Dunedin armed offenders squad was called out three times within six hours on Monday. The most dramatic incident involved a man, believed to be armed, threatening a flatmate.

Up to 15 shops were involved in a $6000 shoplifting spree by boys from Xavier College in Melbourne.