Tuesday's headlines: DIY shoppers defying the retail gloom in Waikato; teenager celebrated his 17th birthday by pouring petrol on a friend and setting him on fire; David Bain engaged to his Christchurch girlfriend.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald reports a senior Air Force officer warned his superiors that helicopter crews were risking their lives five months before an Iroquois crashed in cloud near Wellington, killing three men. Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman is now preparing to set up an independent inquiry into the air force's response to the accident.
Rob Allen, the brother of the late All Black Nicky Allen who died after sustaining a brain injury playing rugby, has told the Herald he believes rugby's PR machine has 'laundered' the risks concussion poses to players.
Waikato Times
The Waikato Times says the arrest of six drunken men in central Hamilton has put the spotlight back on the city's homeless problem, as a taskforce investigates ways to tackle the issue. Measures such as free medical care are now being considered in a Hamilton City Council review. A DIY revolution is defying the general retail gloom and Waikato shoppers are leading the way. Figures on Monday showed a bounce in national spending across the Paymark network, with stores linked to the building industry the big winners.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post reports a teenager who celebrated his 17th birthday by pouring petrol on a friend and setting him on fire, blames his action on the TV show Jackass.
The teenager, who is on trial at the High Court in Napier, has pleaded guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard but not guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The Press
The Press leads with a planning hold-up which is threatening to derail efforts to provide a permanent shopping precinct in the heart of Christchurch.
The paper also reports that David Bain has become engaged to his Christchurch girlfriend.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times says Dunedin has been dealt another blow with confirmation Delta utility services plans to make up to 30 workers in the city redundant. Jobs for the highly skilled in the city could also be at risk, as Chinese company Haier contemplates a take over of Fisher & Paykel Appliances.
