Friday's papers: Regional fuel tax to be dumped; banks have been slow to respond to calls from Reserve Bank Governor to drop interest rates; 2011 Rugby World Cup jackpot.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald reports the Government set to dump a regional fuel tax, fearing it will add 14 cents to fuel prices in Auckland. But that could jeopardise funding for public transport projects, including electrifying the rail network.
A billionaires list in Forbes magazine shows Graeme Hart has overtaken Rupert Murdoch and James Packer to become the richest person in Australasia.
Leaky-building property developer Greg Nielsen is on the verge of bankrupting his brother and former business partner Rod over a $2 million debt.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says regional councils will have to look elsewhere to fund big road projects when they lose their power to levy a fuel tax.
Wellington Regional Council says it thought the tax was doomed by the change of Government - so it had not factored it in anyway.
Wellington has missed out on the games it really wanted in the 2011 Rugby World Cup. But it does get matches featuring South Africa.
The Press
The Press says Christchurch has hit a $50 million jackpot with Rugby World Cup matches featuring England and Australia.
Banks have been slow to respond to calls from Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard to drop interest rates after he cut the Official Cash Rate to 3%. Former Black Cap Craig McMillan has been dropped as a commentator by SKY TV because of his links to the rebel Indian Cricket league.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times celebrates the south's share of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Dunedin gets three and Invercargill two games, including hosting four of the Six Nations sides.
Danny Lee is pictured framed by the snow-capped Remarkables teeing off on the first day of the New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
Official attention is now turning to recovering some of the $16.9 million defrauded from the Otago District Health Board.
