Monday's headflines: Govt seen as not tackling New Zealand's heavy drinking culture; neurosurgery panel member to visit Dunedin; Dan Carter ruled out of final Tri-Nations Test due to surgery for ankle injury.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald reports communities will set the trading hours for liquor outlets in their areas under plans expected to be announced on Monday.
But the Government will set maximum national trading hours as a default position in case some districts try to either go dry or to allow round-the-clock liquor sales.
And as police in Gisborne pull out of the search for four-year-old Lucas Ward, the head of the investigation has admitted the preschooler may never be found.
Dominion Post
The political editor of The Dominion Post says that after years of laughing behind their hands at New Zealand over MMP, Australians have ended up with a hung Parliament that's being held hostage to largely unknown independents and a sole Green MP.
Also on the front page: a violent rapist will live in the community under a supervision order, despite expert evidence that he poses a high risk of reoffending.
A gritty victory by the All Blacks over the Springboks on Saturday came at a cost for Dan Carter, who has been ruled out of the final Tri-Nations rugby match against the Wallabies.
The Press
The Press also leads with alcohol, with addiction experts saying the Government is using youth as a scapegoat in alcohol reform rather than tackling the real problem of New Zealand's heavy drinking culture.
And on Carter: the paper says he will be out of action for eight weeks due to ankle surgery.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times reports a member of an expert panel considering the future of neurosurgery in the South Island will visit Dunedin on Monday to collect some facts before the full panel travels to Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill next week.
Aerial and ground searches have failed to locate any sign of Brad Gordon Anderson, of Dunedin, who was reported missing to police on Thursday. His family are now calling on the public to help find him.
