Former finance company boss Rod Petricevic was yesterday denied taxpayer legal aid, but his fraud case has been postponed to give his lawyer time to decide whether to appeal.

David Bain has spoken out about his dire financial situation, telling the New Idea magazine: "I'm having to do everything from nothing. I've had to do a catch-up of 15 years. I've had no income.

Police paid criminal narks nearly $2 million in the past five years.

Radical changes to the legal aid system will put an end to taxpayers paying defence lawyers up to $900,000 a year.

In olden times, the mob would deliver justice via the guillotine and celebrate the deed by parading the guilty person's head on a pike.

Interests closely associated with Mark Hotchin still control an opulent $9.8m Waiheke Island beachhead.

Waikato-Tainui could be headed for the courts after a woman King Tuheitia fired claimed the move was unconstitutional.