The murder of former Melbourne crime boss Carl Williams has opened a new can of worms.

Private prisons could provide a "spur of competition" to improve prisons, says expert.

The Govt wants a 1000-bed male prison at Wiri to be designed, built and operated under a public-private partnership.

Japan will lay five charges against anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune, for boarding the Shonan Maru II in the Southern Ocean in February. His lawyer says the situation is potentially very serious.

The convicted violent criminal who lived in Government minister Paula Bennett's home is out of prison - and has been kicked out of the country.

Convicted double-murderer David Tamihere - who killed two Swedish tourists in 1990 - has had his first proper taste of freedom in 21 years.

Forty-three of NZ's most dangerous criminals have been convicted of serious violent offences committed while they were already on parole.

A Corrections staff member tried to hide his poor supervision of a yard where inmates tipped over a crane, and from where one later escaped.

The ASB bank investment adviser who stole $17.8m charged his parents interest on a loan to move into a retirement home - then asked for the money back when his fraud was discovered.

Japanese lawyers are lined up to defend incarcerated anti-whaling protester Peter Bethune, but an environmental group still hopes Japanese authorities will send him home.