Minister accused of breaking privacy laws; principal youth court judge warns NZ will follow the trend in London and the US west coast for alcohol-fuelled knife violence; chief coroner upset that swine flu victim was embalmed before his office was told of the death.
NZ Herald
The paper leads with Social Development Minister Paula Bennett being accused of breaking privacy laws for revealing the benefits paid to two single mothers. Any investigation is likely to also look at whether her Ministry breached rules for passing the information to her.
The New Zealand Herald' carries a picture supplied by a bank's security cameras of an unknown man measuring the size of the opening to an ATM in Dargaville. Police would like to speak to him.
Dominion Post
The chief coroner is upset that a swine flu victim was embalmed before he was told, the Dominion Post reports. Judge Neil McLean is accusing the Capital and Coast DHB of breaching protocol over the death on Monday of the 39-year-old woman.
In the Paula Bennett privacy row, opposition and lobby groups are calling on the Minister to reveal how much she herself got in state benefits as a single mother.
Wellington woman Annie Coates, who runs a restaurant to help refugees, has won a Prime Minister's Social Hero Award.
The Press
The Press leads with a warning from the Principal Youth Court Judge that hard-core young offenders are "unexploded human time-bombs". Judge Andrew Becroft told a local government conference this country will follow the trend in London and the US west coast for alcohol-fuelled knife violence.
New Zealand's fossil-fuel emissions have soared by 72% since 1990, the biggest jump in the developed world. But the Government is disputing the way the International Energy Agency has used the figures.
Otago Daily Times
The ODT leads with the loss of 60 jobs at the Green Island fellmongery. Parent company Lowe Corporation has closed it blaming the changing export market to China.
Highlanders winger Lucky Mulipola may have his contract terminated after he appeared in court on an assault charge. He denies the charge.
Dunedin City Council is considering putting artificial turf on its flood-prone playing fields, after having to cancel almost 400 junior and senior games so far this winter.
