High Court suit filed over 'ineffective' medicines, former National minister calls Treaty Principles Bill 'irretrievably flawed', and the Finance Minister signals a shake-up for supermarkets.
1 Class action filed over 'ineffective' cold and flu medicines
An Australian law firm has filed a class action against pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson in the Auckland High Court today.
The firm accused the company of selling and marketing ineffective cold and flu medicines.
Lawyers at JGA Saddler allege the company manufactured and distributed several varieties of tablet and syrup cold and flu products that are ineffective at relieving symptoms they were marketed to treat.
2 Prisoner transport flight turns around after onboard disorder
A plane carrying prisoners from Auckland to Christchurch was forced to turn back after one of those onboard damaged an interior window.
Corrections said eight prisoners were being taken from Auckland Region Women's Corrections facility on a chartered flight on Wednesday, when one of the passengers began misbehaving.
3 Rangers 'angered' as dogs taken ashore on pest-free island
Conservation staff are "shocked and angered" by a report of two boaties taking dogs ashore on one of Coromandel's pest-free conservation islands last weekend.
Department of Conservation Coromandel operations manager Nick Kelly said the most recent incident occurred on Kawhitu/Stanley Island on February 8 and it was witnessed by two members of the public who called authorities.
4 Treaty Principles Bill 'irretrievably flawed' - former National minister
Former National Minister Hekia Parata said the Treaty Principles Bill is "unreliable and unnecessary".
She recommended the Justice Select Committee report the "irretrievably flawed" bill back to the House, and "waste no further resources nor our nation's tolerance".
5 First test train runs through Auckland's new City Rail Link
The first successful test of a train through Auckland's City Rail Link has been hailed as "momentous" and a "colossal milestone" ahead of the project's expected opening next year.
The 3.45km journey began at Waitematā (Britomart) and took two-and-a-half hours to reach Maungawhau, passing the two new underground stations at Te Waihorotiu and Karanga-a-Hape.
ONE FMCG SHAKE-UP
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has signalled a shake-up to the supermarket sector could be on the way.
She said international chains and local investors have expressed interest in the grocery market, and she is aiming to remove "unnecessary regulatory hurdles" that discourage new entrants.
ONE SHIFT ON MORTGAGE RATES
ASB has announced further decreases to its 6-month, 1-year and 18-month fixed mortgage rates from today.
The bank dropped its 6-month fixed home lending term 10 basis points to 5.89%, and the 1-year rate dropped 5 basis points to 5.49%.
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