Thursday's headlines: Quake-proof regulations for Wellington homes; complaint to PM over driving incident involving National MP Tau Henare; few rugby fans in evidence in Queenstown.
NZ Herald
The top half of the front page of The New Zealand Herald is devoted to a picture of Rugby World Cup rehearsals, under the headline "Let's get this party started."
The rest of the paper tells the story of a furious mum who has complained to the police and the Prime Minister after a driving incident involving National MP Tau Henare.
Cicelia Holliday says he twice gave her the fingers and shouted at her in the aftermath of last Thursday's mishap in Karangahape Road.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post says an estimated three-quarters of the capital's homeowners may have to make their homes more quake-proof, if a new Wellington City Council proposal goes ahead.
What's described as the 'chilling' death of a young Rotorua woman has sparked a call to prosecute those who let recidivist drink-drivers get behind the wheel.
Whitney Morgan Robertson was killed when five time drunk driver Royland Jones ploughed into her near Tokoroa.
The Press
The Press leads with Pike River and the company's former safety manager telling the Royal Commission hearing that the mine's ventilation shaft was unsuitable as an emergency escape route.
On the Rugby World Cup, young admirers are pictured welcoming the England team to Christchurch on Wednesday.
And there's the story of a West Coast lawyer who hid the cord of a breath testing unit in a police filing cabinet and then put coins in his mouth in an ultimately unsuccessful bid to avoid fool the machine.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times says Queenstown's loss appears to be Dunedin's gain as Rugby World Cup fans gear up for the South Island's opening match at the Otago Stadium on Saturday.
Although Queenstown is the host for the English, Irish, Romanian and Georgian rugby teams, their fans remain to be seen, with bookings for accommodation below those at this time last year.
Meanwhile, rugby-mad Englishman Adam Morton has covered his Dunedin home with England flags and is now inviting 'everyone' to a rugby barbeque on Saturday.
