Friday's headlines: Roast Busters coverage focuses on police handling of the case; Earthquake Recovery Minister unhappy with Earthquake Commission's chief executive; schoolgirl raises more than $2000 for the SPCA in Dunedin.
NZ Herald
The front page of The New Zealand Herald is again dominated by the underage sex scandal involving a group of teenage boys calling themselves the Roast Busters. There are fresh claims that one of the members of the group left school after he was involved in an incident at a party last year which police investigated.
The paper also reports that comments made by two RadioLive talkback hosts about the case have prompted some companies to stop advertising with the station.
Waikato Times
The Waikato Times also leads with the Roastbusters case and reports that community leaders are condemning the group and promising a protest . One campaigner told the paper that the protest would be against the way the allegations have been handled by the police and media. The aim would also be to raise awareness of situation and challenge the culture and structures that disadvantage victims.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post focuses its coverage of the Roastbusters on police handling of the case. The paper says the Government has ordered an investigation and reports that the Police Minister has described the issue as being "poorly handled".
In other news: the paper reports on the mammoth task of earthquake strengthening Wellington Town Hall, which will include taking its 50 tonne organ to bits as work begins next week.
The Press
The Press reports that the Earthquake Recovery Minister has signaled he is losing confidence in Earthquake Commission's chief executive. Gerry Brownlee is now demanding an inquiry into how it appears there was a system where disgruntled homeowners were left out of a satisfaction survey.
The paper also reports that President John F Kennedy had agreed to a 'very brief' trip to New Zealand weeks before he was assassinated in Dallas.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times reports that Southern District Health Board has kept a doctor's concerns about Dunedin hospital secret for months. Following advice from the Ombudsman, the board has now released a letter by the doctor which warns of a ''very real'' risk that a patient will die because of a ''crisis'' in the ear, nose and throat department.
The front page also carries a picture of Amelia Steele, aged nine, who has raised more than $2000 for the SPCA in Dunedin. It took her a month to raise the money by making fudge, muffins, scones, biscuits and cakes to sell to teachers at her school.
