10 Sep 2009

Morning Report: local papers

7:02 am on 10 September 2009

Thursday's papers: Trees can be pruned without permission from October; hint that tougher drink driving laws are on the way; Dunedin police constables committed for trial on assault charges.

NZ Herald

The New Zealand Herald says Transport Minister Steven Joyce has given a strong indication that tougher drink driving laws are on the way. Mr Joyce says the fact he could drink three-quarters of a bottle of wine in 90 minutes and still drive shows the existing limit is "ridiculous".

The Medical Association says Auckland's new laboratory service is unacceptable and the Government must take action.

Coverage of Parliament's approval of changes to the Resource Management Act focuses again on trees, which can be pruned without permission from October.

Dominion Post

The Dominion Post leads with the case of a man with cancer who is accused of being part of a suicide pact in which his chronically ill wife died last year. The man, 68, appeared in the Levin District Court on Wednesday. Euthanasia advocates say it's cruel to charge him.

The country's biggest dairy operator run by the Crafar family is selling up and says it hopes to repay all creditors.

And there's a feature about expat artist Dan Simon, 31, whose latest London squat is not one, but two, £15 million six storey mansions in Mayfair.

The Press

The Press leads with Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker's idea to buy the house in Wainoni Road where two women's bodies were found last week. Mr Parker says the owner, who is accused of murder, would have to agree to the sale and would then get half the proceeds.

A new control tower, at 45 metres high believed to be the tallest and most modern in New Zealand, is to open on Thursday at Christchurch international airport.

Rugby World Cup plans call for AMI Stadium to be renamed Stadium Christchurch for the tournament and High Street to get a $1 million facelift as Rugby Rd.

ODT

The Otago Daily Times leads with two Dunedin police constables committed for trial on assault charges. The pair are accused of kicking a man while he was struggling with two other officers in February.

Southern forest company Ernslaw One has sold more than $10 million of carbon credits to the Norwegian Government in what's believed to be the first international carbon credit sale by a New Zealand company.

Shrek the sheep is back - this time as the subject of a film being made for prime time Japanese television showing him at home on Bendigo Station.