0600 NEWS/SPORTS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: CATARACTS - NZ eye surgeons deny locking out Australian surgeon in order to protect hold on local surgery. Commerce Commission investigating why arrangement between Southland Health and Australian surgeon Michael Silva to perform 150 cataract operations was cancelled. Comment from Health minister Bill English, Ian Powell of Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. Society of Opthalmologists president Dr Philip Boulton, and Invercargill opthalmic surgeon Brett Rogers. (Karen Gregory-Hunt)
0621 RURAL NEWS
0626 SPORTS STORY: U.S. SPORTS - live i/v with Paul Witteman of "Sports Illustrated". (Collegiate Women's Basketball; Denis Rodman; Greg Norman ... his comeback begins today.)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: TOXIC BLOOM - Rotorua mayor Grahame Hall confident that bloom affecting Lake Rotorua will be short-lived. Health warning issued against drinking the water or swimming in lake. Mr Hall i/ved live.
0640 OVERSEAS NEWSPAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: BRIERLEY INVESTMENTS reports half yearly result today, with analysts expecting sharply lower result of between $100-115 million. Comment from First NZ Capital analyst Guy Hallwright. (Mark Crysell) SOUTHPOWER - Commerce Commission files proceedings in High Court against CH electricity supply company, claiming it's anti-competitive. Action follows complaints from independent retailers who were denied access to Southpower's lines. Communications minister Maurice Williamson says Commerce Act will be amended to provided new penalties against companies trying to block competition; live i/v with lawyer Grant David re effectiveness of Commerce Act. BUSINESS BRIEFS BAY OF PLENTY fertiliser company offers shareholders equivalent of $50 a tonne discount if Southland shareholders don't accept offer for shares from rival firm Ravensdown. (Sarah Willis) FINANCE
0700 INTRO/NEWS FRACAS at Parliament late last night, with behaviour of NZ First leader and deputy suject of complaint to Speaker. Winston Peters in scuffle with John Banks reported by Mr Banks and Alliance leader Jim Anderton who intervened in incident, and Tau Henare's attempts to prevent RNZ reporter Stephen Parker from recording the exchange also raised with Speaker; John Banks comments on his morning radio talkback show. CATARACTS - Opthalmologists' Society says Commerce Commission won't find anything untoward in society's role in keeping out Australiam specialist who was to perform 150 operations in Southland. President Philip Boulton i/ved live; live i/v with Southern Health chief exec Andrea Green. SPEED CAMERAS - Transport minister Jenny Shipley has announced 12 month trial of hidden cameras in central North Island. AA gives qualified support but editor of "NZ Driver", Allan Dick, says idea is simplistic and won't catch really dangerous drivers. Live i/v with Mr Dick and AA general secretary George Fairbairn.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FINANCE update with Gyles Beckford. POLICE STANDARDS - new job established at Police HQ to ensure high standard of conduct by officers. Asst Commissioner Neville Trendle to look at ways of minimising criminal or unethical behaviour by police. He's i/ved live. POLICE BUDGET - Labour spokesman George Hawkins says police officers ready to strike over Treasury paper suggesting cut to budget. Live i/v with Police Assn president Greg O'Connor. HOUSING - some residents in AK's Glen Innes opposed to new Housing NZ pilot development in area because they believe it could turn into urban ghetto through overcrowding, critical of lack of consultation. (Kent Caddick); Housing NZ responds. (written) SOUTH AFRICA - arrest of Wouter Basson, pivotal in country's chemical warfare programme during apartheid regime. He's believed to have worked on programme to pacify black protestors through drugs. Live i/v with correspondent Anthony Johnson.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER FRACAS - Winston Peters denies John Banks' allegation that he attacked Mr Banks. Alliance leader Jim Anderton adamant Mr Peters physically assaulted Mr Banks; RNZ reporter Stephen Parker manhandled out of way by NZ First deputy leader Tau Henare - he's i/ved live. SPEED CAMERAS - hidden cameras to be trialled for 12 months from July in central North Island areas of Taupo, East Coast, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel, and Waikato. WN motorists don't seem too concerned about idea - vox pops. (Leigh-Anne Wiig); Transport minister Jenny Shipley says govt prepared to do everything possible to slow drivers down. She's i/ved live. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS CATARACTS - Coalition for Public Health replies to suggestions that eye surgeons concerned about being undercut in case of Australian surgeon being illegible from performing operations in Invercargill. Spokesman Alistair Scott says govt has created market forces in health so it can't blame doctors for taking advantage of favourable market - i/ved live. SOUTHPOWER - Commerce Commission going to High Court in bid to force Canty electricity supply company to open its lines to competition. Comment from Davic Russell, spokesperson for the Consumers Coalition on Energy, and SouthPower's chairman John Gray. (Bronwen Evans); Commerce Commission chair Alan Bollard says legal action only way of testing boundaries of Commerce Act and setting precedents - i/ved live.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS CRICKET - former NZ captain John Reid says Chris Cairns and Adam Parore should have been dumped ahead of Lee Germon, says his sacking highlights double standards operating in game at high level. (Stephen Hewson) BOUGAINVILLE - Solomon Islands govt considering taking case to World Court to stop Papua New Guinea employing mercenaries to quell dissent in Bougainville. Live i/v with govt's communications director Johnson Honomai. SQUID FISHERY - Fisheries minister considering closing down Auckland Islands fishery in mid-season following concern about number of Hooker Sealions being caught in nets. Comment from Bruce Young, Fishing Industry Assn, and Barry Weber of Forest and Bird. (leigh-Anne Wiig) EYE SCREENING - new programme aimed at detecting serious vision defects in young children launched in South AK, comes after revelations that many school children have serious conditions which should have been detected much earlier. (Hannah Belcher) FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsyth.