The NZ Army engineers in Iraq returned home early after rising violence around Basra meant they weren't able to do their job safely. Predictably, some commentators have accused the Govt of backing down from a fight, but the detachment was only trained and equipped for reconstruction work. The only notable shot fired was an accidental discharge on the firing range which landed the second-in-command with a court martial and $1400 fine.

Local government elections are being decided up and down the country by postal ballot at the moment. The public has reacted with the normal amount of apathy, and only the Auckland mayoralty race has consistently commanded headlines. The cereal baron Dick Hubbard, a late-comer to the race and political novice, has accused incumbent John Banks of dirty tricks after thousands of copies of an NBR article critical of Hubbard were dropped in letter boxes. How vicious is the fight getting? Well, Titewhai Harawira the purple-haired, fiery, veteran Maori-rights campaigner (not known as a calm, moderate sort of person) is actually mediating disputes between the three candidates.

Christchurch rapper Scribe dominated the NZ Music Awards, winning all the major Tuis except Best International Act (teenage opera star Hayley Westenra) and Best Single (NZ Idol winner Ben Lummis).