RUGBY: The Dominion today has a wrap-around cover with a picture of All Black Taine Randell in full haka on the front.

GDP: The paper leads with a report that big spending New Zealanders helped the economy grow faster than expected in the first three months of the year, improving he chances for further tax cuts, the government said yesterday.

RUGBY: The front-page photo shows Athletic Park groundsman John Jennings whipping his pitch for today's test against france.

Also on the front page:

- PRISON ESCAPE: a report that the fence at Paremoremo Prison through which a vicious rapist escaped on Thursday night was identified two years ago as a security risk;

- ECSTASY: a report that Wellington police are warning parents to be on the lookout for Ecstasy tablets now on the market;

- LICENSE TICKETING: a report that the number of tickets issued to drivers for failing to carry a license increased sharply in the first two weeks of the new licensing system, despite assurances by the Government that police would exercise discretion when enforcing the system;

- BERT POTTER: a report that convicted pedophile Bert Potter is ignoring an order to leave Auckland's Centrepoint, the Albany commune he founded, and says he has no intention of leaving;

Inside political headlines:

- BOATPEOPLE: No boatpeople - no regrets - rushed law was "prudent";
- PM VS TVNZ: Filming in Beehive challenged
- MAORI: Henare blamed for Maori economic woes (by Sandra Lee)
- CENSORSHIP: Concern over new video disks bypassing censor
- GENETICS: MP blames genetic engineering (for high incidence of animal research)

PREBBLE: The editorial comments on ACT leader Richard Prebble's desire to play a role on Shortland St.

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© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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