Monday's papers: Treaty of Waitangi settlements tipped to blow another $1 billion-plus in Government books; NZ soldiers sent home from East Timor after a drunken pub crawl while on duty.
NZ Herald
The front page of The New Zealand Herald is dominated by a spectacular picture of a humpback whale and her calf leaping from the water near Waiheke Island.
National is expected to reduce the number of bills it will push through under urgency as it starts its second week in Government. The big battle this week will be over the repeal of a law regulating the amount of biofuels oil companies must sell.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says "drunken mayhem" sparked more than 1000 calls to Wellington police over the weekend - 650 to the police communications centre and 414 111 calls.
Bars could be forced to close earlier in a move to make the Courtenay Place party zone safer, although police are worried this could cause even more trouble on the streets.
The Press
The Press says three-quarters of primary school children have been bullied in the past month, ranking New Zealand 34th of 35 countries in an international study.
The army has engaged former All Black Norm Hewitt to teach soldiers about the dangers of alcohol abuse. Soldiers from Burnham were sent home from East Timor after a drunken pub crawl while on duty.
Treaty of Waitangi settlements are tipped to blow another $1 billion-plus hole in the Government's books, as the cost of settling outstanding claims soars.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times quotes Prime Minister John Key as saying Maori are "very important stakeholders" in discussions on water allocation, but has stopped short of saying they have ownership rights to water.
The Problem Gambling Foundation says a 'laissez-faire approach' towards poker machines by southern local bodies has come at a cost to communities, with the Dunedin City Council's policy described as 'one of the worst.'
