0700 NEWS TAX CUTS - The government will announce its tax cuts package today, after already revealing the two year, three billion dollar package will see income illegible with families get at least five per cent more in their take home pay. illegible with Birch, Cullen, Dunne, Anderton and quote from Peters. (Anna Hughes) ACC - Accident victims no longer able to get lump sums from ACC are turning to the courts and civil action for compensation, according to Associate Law professor Bill Hodge. Live i/v with Hodge. TANKER - Supertanker Sea Empress has run aground off the coast of Wales, threatening to spill thousands of tonnes of crude oil into the sea. A six person salvage team has been winched onto the decks. VCR Keith Chalkley. AUSTRALIA - Federal opposition leader John Howard launched his election campaign yesterday, promising tax cuts, industrial reform and help for small businesses. Audio of Howard and prime minister Paul Keating. Live i/v with Kathryn Street in Sydney. BOSNIA - US mediator Richard Holbrooke has announced that talks will resume after meeting with Balkan leaders in Rome. Audio of Holbrooke. Live i/v with Martin McCauley, Balkans expert in London.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS DRUGS - The government's drug buying agency, Pharmac, wants to stop subsidising some minor drugs such as cold sore creams, to avoid a budget blow-out, but doctors don't think that's the answer. Wrap with Dennis Pezaro and Tom Marshall, of the Independent Practitioners Association. (Maria Slade) Live i/v illegible Pharmac general manager David Moore. CHINESE NEW YEAR - Today is the first day of the new Chinese year - the year of the Rat. Live i/v with Belinda Caminada from Hong Kong with local sfx. HERO PARADE - Auckland's gay and lesbian community held their annual Hero parade and party on Saturday. Live i/v with the parade organiser Scott Johnson. CHESS - The world chess champion Garry Kasparov has been triumphant in his six game tournament against IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer. live i/v with the editor of British Chess magazine, Murray Chandler.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER TANKER - The salvage team working earlier this morning on the deck of the stranded tanker Sea Empress off the coast of Wales have been forced to abandon the ship, as the weather has worsened. Live i/v with Gilbert John at Milford Haven. TAX CUTS - While those on low incomes are looking forward to the announcement of tax cuts, beneficiaries and superannuitants are already saying there's nothing in it for them. Wrap with council worker Andrew Currie, computer consultant Andrew Abernathy, Don Robertson of Grey Power and Sue Bradford of the Unemployed Workers Rights Centre. (Stephen Parker) Live i/v with Bronwen Evans. PAPERS/ASPAC HEADLINES CASINOS - New Zealand's two casinos have been warned by the police about an Asian crime syndicate trying to produce counterfeit gaming chips. Wrap with Jock Colville of the police casino monitoring unit and det sarg Tapi Fiso of the organised crime, unit. (Karlum Lattimore) Live i/v with Tom Carr, chief exec of Harrah's Sky City Casino. AUSTRALIA - Phil Kafcaloudes on a seventeen year old's attempt to break a round the world sailing record, the latest in Queensland politics and problems in South Australia with wild goats.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS NIUE - Niue held its general elections over the weekend, amid several controversies. There have been claims of bribery, corruption and overseas funding and one contest will eventually be decided by the toos of a coin, live i/v with correspondent Stafford Guest. PARLIAMENT - The new parliamentary session begins tomorrow in the refurbished illegible, but not everyone's happy with them. Some PMs and gallery staff are too far away. live i/v with Karen Fisher. UNITED STATES - The first primary of the US presidential race is later this week in New Hampshire. Warp with senator Bob Dole and vox pops. (Judy Lessing) COMMENT ITALY - Italian leaders are meeting with US mediator Richard Holbrooke and Balkan leaders over the Bosnia peace process. Live i/v with Frances Kennedy on that, also the upcoming elections in Italy.