Thursday's headlines: Quake hotel ransacked; pupils suspended for bringing cannabis to school; Dunedin residents feel safer in their homes at night than people living elsewhere.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald again leads with the Gold Coast murders. It says slain mother Tania Simpson was so afraid of her former fiance, New Zealander Paul Rogers, that she wanted to be walked to her car after work every night.
Five intermediate-age children have been suspended for bringing cannabis to a small country school south of Auckland.
And the chief of protocol for the Maori king is under fire for producing an instruction guide on what guests should do - and wear - when meeting him at a grand ball planned for Turangawaewae marae
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says John Key will gamble his chances of another term as prime minister on a Budget that delivers a quick return to surplus through cuts to Working for Families and KiwiSaver, and a big squeeze on the public service.
Dan Carter's decision to stay with New Zealand rugby is covered.
Jupiter-sized planets floating freely through the galaxy have been discovered by a team of scientists using using software developed at Massey University.
The Press
The Press says a hotel in central Christchurch has been ransacked by looters.
The owner of Hotel Off The Square finally gained access to his cordoned off site on 10 May - to find that most of the 38 rooms had been raided by thieves.
The paper says the Budget will include $5.5 billion to rebuild Christchurch.
And an earthquake victim is ready to walk out of Burwood spinal unit after learning to walk again. Ken Hird fell into a pothole during an aftershock and broke his neck.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times leads with the latest Quality of Life survey, saying Dunedin residents feel safer in their homes at night than people living in any other major New Zealand city.
A Dunedin pensioner faces a prison sentence for cultivating $250,000 worth of cannabis in his bathroom.
Maurice Didham, 72, says its unfair the potential value of cannabis plants will be considered at his sentencing next month.
