Government considers buying new electric commuter trains for Auckland and Wellington; New Zealand's new sporting prodigy hailed; Wellington councillors vote on whether to reject pay rise.
NZ Herald
The paper reports the Government is considering buying new electric commuter trains for Auckland and Wellington to secure the future of metro rail services. The move would allow it to ditch a regional fuel tax without councils having to increase rates to pay for electrification of Auckland's suburban rail network.
The Herald says South Auckland schoolgirl Mere Vaka is being hailed as New Zealand's new sporting prodigy, after smashing three records in track and field and winning praise from the coach of Olympic gold medallist Valerie Vili.
Dominion Post
Two McDonald's workers who tended to a mortally wounded woman and tackled a man later charged with her murder are being hailed as heroes. The two were among those who tried to save the 42-year-old woman outside a service station in Johnsonville, just north of Wellington, over the weekend.
The Dominion Post says Wellington councillors are facing a pay dilemma. They will vote this week on whether to agree to a rise that would see their salaries grow by up to $1800 a year.
The Press
In The Press an outraged Canterbury District Health Board member says Cantabrians are being kept in the dark about "significant service cuts" to health. Andrew Dickerson has issued a media release criticising the health system for sanctioning the debate of its draft annual plan in private.
A 60-year-old Westport man died on Sunday when his light plane "disintegrated" after crashing in the Buller Gorge.
Otago Daily Times
The paper says the Dunedin City Council's economic development unit and the city's Upstart Business Incubator are considering a series of steps to try to minimise the impact of the credit crunch on some of Dunedin's brightest young companies.
And the 10th anniversary Dunedin Fashion Show lived up to its billing Saturday night, wowing the sellout crowd with collections varying from retrospective to futuristic.
