0700 NEWS ELECTION DATE announced by PM Jim Bolger, Oct 12th. (q). No by-election to fill vacant Hawkes Bay seat. Audio of David Caygill, Simon Upton, Jim Anderton, David Lange, Graeme Lee. (Marie Hosking); vox pops of Wellingtonians; live i/v with Political editor Karen Fisher. illegible ISLANDS TAX INQUIRY - Cook Islands solicitor general Gordon Davis defends Cooks govt plans to hold own investigation. (Helen Matterson); live i/v with Pacific Islands Affairs minister Don McKinnon. SERIAL RAPE - 43 year old man to appear in Otahuhu court today, accused of rape and murder of Susan Burdett, also facing other sexual violations counts in conncetion with operations Harvey and Atlas. Arrest opens up possibility of wrong man having been convicted of Burdett murder. Comment from lawyer Marie Dhyrberg, inquiry head Det Insp Steve Rutherford, Susan Burdett's brother Michael, and resident Suzanne Cooper. (Alexia Russell) ASSET TESTING - United to break ranks with govt to support Labour bid to scrap testing. Leader Clive Matthewson comments, also chief govt whip Roger Sowry. (Marie Hosking)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FLOODS - heavy rain in many parts of country overnight, with flooding causing havoc especially in AK. Live i/v with Ak Police Snr Sgt Mat Sillars. TANZANIA - more than 500 people confirmed dead after ferry capsizes on Lake Victoria. I/v with Florence Dvauli, Radio Tanzania. (Mng Rpt) CONSTABLE - 30 still police staff still involved in hunt for killer of Glenn McKibbin. United MP Peter Hilt wants SAS brought in to help track down Terence Thompson, wanted in connection with shooting. Inquiry head Det Ross Pinkham objects - he's i/ved live. WEYMOUTH CENTRE school facing closure within month. Education minister Wyatt Creech says problems highlighted in recent Education Review Office report, and other advice he's received, leave him no choice - gives board of trustees 28 day deadline to say why school shouldn't be shut down. (Andrew Fleming) ADOPTION - govt moves to protects interests of foreign children being adopted by NZers. Adoption Amdt Bill implements 1993 Hague Convention on inter-country adoption. Justice Minister Doug Graham says the Hague Convention is to ensure best interests of the child are respected, and abduction and sale of, or trafficking in children is prevented.(q) Wendy Hawke of Inter-country Adoption New Zealand, ICANZ, comments. (Allanah Kalafatelis_ BUDGET - Finance minister Bill Birch says budget good one for govt to present as it heads into election. Budget to be read in afternoon instead of evening but minister has made traditional pilgramage to govt printing office to examine first budget document off the press. (Stephen Parker) FINANCE - money markets latest with David Jones.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER ELECTION - parties begin preparing for election, organisational issues to sort out. Comment from PM Jim Bolger, Labour leader Helen Clark, NZ First Winston Peters, chief electoral officer Phil Whelan. (Kathryn Street); live i/v with political commentator Nigel Roberts SERIAL RAPE - police still investigating other rapes as part of operations Atlas and harvey, say it's possible other charges may result. Live i/v with police reporter Glenda Wakeham. PAPERS/ASPAC HEADLINES COOK ISLANDS TAX INQUIRY - live i/v with Fran O'Sullivan, investigations editor for "National Business Review", about developments re Cook Islands govt's own investigations.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS TRANZ RAIL wants to sell shares worth $150 million in NZ, US and other international markets, consisting of 27 million shares, 22% of company. Live i/v with "Rails" editor and railways expert BoB Stott OLYMPICS UNIFORMS unveiled, with blazers made of wool imported from Italy. Designer Janette Christie says she couldn't get fabric needed here. Wool Board says she may be right - live i/v with spokesperson Don Carson. ROAD RAGE hits Britain, serious crimes being committed, appalling traffic congestion blamed for turning people into angry monsters. Live i/v with British AA official Rebecca Rees. COMMENT illegible godfather Giovanni Brusca caught by police, paraded by police in front of photographers in Palermo. Live i/v with correspondent Frances Kennedy.