0600 NEWS/SPORTS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: CH HEART SURGERY - head of company which has jointly won tender for heart unit, John Mathewson of the Southern Cardio-Thoracic Institute, accuses Health minister Bill English of muck-raking. Mr English has said person at Inst has been involved in failed business and issue needs checking. Comment also from Alliance leader Jim Anderton and Richard Bunton, heart surgeon who's a shareholder in Southern Cardio-Thoracic (Paul Irons)
0621 RURAL NEWS
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT released to day, will indicate what govt's priorities and spending plans are for June budget. Comment from Labour's Michael Cullen and ACT's Rodney Hide. (Stephen Parker)
0640 OVERSEAS NEWSPAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0648 NEWS STORY CH HEART UNIT - NZ First caucus must decide today how far it's prepared to go to keep promise of publicly funded heart unit in CH. Health minister Bill English admits he's been warned some participants in successful tender aren't people govt should do business with. Comment also from NZ First MPs Ron Mark and Jenny Bloxham. (Marie Hosking)
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: FINANCE BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT - Infometrics economist Philip Wrigley says there's strong possibility extra govt spending will come in below promised $1.2 billion forecast in coalition document. (Mark Crysell) CASINO - Sky City expects to meet forecasted $36 million profit for year but next big challenge is to gain coveted Queenstown casino licence, to which there is significant local opposition. Comment from chief exec Evan Davies. (Maria Slade) CAPITALISM - highly successful money market player George Soros says system is in need of reform, likens capitalism to some of worst effects of Nazism and Fascism. (Richard Quest) AK POWER COMPANIES Mercury Energy and Power New Zealand resume sparring after Appeal Court upholds Commerce Commission decision to allow Mercury to take over Power NZ. (Todd Niall)
0700 INTRO/NEWS CH HEART UNIT - chair of Southern Cardiothoracic Inst, John Matthews, rejects suggestions he's not suitable to be involved in company receiving public health funds. Mr Matthews held majority shareholding in Cardinal Community Laboratories Ltd which is now in liquidation. He's i/ved live; live i/v with Health minister Bill English. SOCIAL WELFARE BENEFITS and allowances to increase by 2.5% from next month, to account for movement in CPI. Palmerston North community worker Ian Ritchie says system of using CPI to calculate yearly benefit increases is flawed and benefit levels are falling further behind. Comment also from Social Welfare minister Roger Sowry. (Claire Silvester) BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT - first real sign of financial impact of govt's new programme. Live i/v with Political editor Karen Fisher and Economics correspondent Bronwen Evans.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FINANCE update with Gyles Beckford. ALBANIAN GOVT imposes curfews, roadblocks and press censorship as it enforces state of emergency to suppress rioting and protests that began over failed investment schems. Police now authorised to shoot without warning anyone who throws objects at them. I/v with Tim Cook, BBC's Albania section. (Mng Rpt) CAPITAL COAST HEALTH - staff forecast difficult road for new chief exec Leo Mercer who begins work tomorrow fresh from Texas hospital system and who'll be introducing new patient care system which some staff fear will be used to cut costs and standards of care. Moves to invole coalition govt agreement to prevent CHE from contracting out services. Comment from Coalition for Public Health's Dr Peter Roberts, Nurses' Orgn's Mary Slater, Prof Lawrence Malcolm, and outgoing South AK CHE chief exec Lester Levy. (Karen Gregory-Hunt) WESTERN SAMOA - BURNING - man narrowly escapes being burned at stake after refusing to obey banishment order by village council, following row about construction of Mormon church in village. Live i/v with reporter Fa'atuainu Tino Pereira about Samoan village law. ITALY - MAFIA - govt draws up draft law aimed at overhauling witness protectior programme for Mafia turncoats who've been accused of using state money to lead lives of luxury. I/v with correspondent Frances Kennedy. (Mng Rpt)
0800 NEW/WEATHER CH HEART UNIT - NZ First MP and party vice president Jenny Bloxham says proposed involvement of private company is contrary to party policy, will argue against proposed structure for heart unit at caucus today. She's i/ved live. BOUGAINVILLE - secessionist rebels claim covert military operation against them has begun. PNG govt has confirmed it's using foreign mercenaries to train its forces and conduct attacks on Bougainville Revolutionary Army. I/v with correspondent Sean Dorney re whether foreign workers are leaving island. (Mng Rpt) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS PAKISTAN - TRAIN CRASH kills 126 people. Runaway passenger express was diverted into siding after brakes failed and ploughed into sand buffer at end. I/v with correspondent Zaffar Abbass. (Mng Rpt) STUDENTS SUE - 4 students suing VUW for $345,000 give univ 5pm deadlines to respond with statement of defence. Students claim Masters course in environmental studies was not up to standard and say they'll look at further legal action if univ doesn't respond; Timaru students taking action against Aoraki Polytechnic over naturopathy course which they were told would gain degree status and which 3 years later still hasn't been accredited by NZ Qualifications Authority. Live i/v with Education correspondent Al Morrison. AUSTRALIA - SENATOR COLSTON - federal govt facing new pressure over links to embattle senator amid plans to move against him in Senate. Mr Colston under attack over expense and travel claims including possible police investigation. Live i/v with correspondent Pru Goward.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS CHECHNYA facing hard road back to any sort of economic independence, with factories in ruins, retail sector destroyed and massive unemployment. (Simon Marks) ALLERGY - UK study indicates women who grow up with brothers less likely to develop allergies, more brothers the better. I/v with Jean Golding, Inst of Child Health, Bristol Univ. (Mng Rpt) MEXICO - DRUGS - President Clinton defends decision to declare Mexico a US partner in war on drugs. Correspondent James Blears reports on Mexican reaction. ROYAL EXPOSURE - new board game based on royal scandals and embarrassments, made by British firm Chaos Games. Live i/v with owner Stephen Dunne. COMPUTERS - Americans trying to come to terms with fact that of most sensitive systems are very vulnerable to break-ins, with utility companies and banks especially tempting targets for hackers. (Nancy Marshall) CRICKET - NZ meets England in 5th and final match at WN's Basin Reserve today. Live i/v with commentator Bryan Waddle.