0600 NEWS/SPORTS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MAOKI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: RABBIT VIRUS - some Central Otago farmers reluctant to co-operate with MA= operation to control RCD. Agriculture minister Lockwood Smith holds public meeting in Cromwell to update farmers on govt position and hear concerns. Comment from Dr Smith, MAF spokesperson Debbie Geo, and farmers. (Mark Henderson)
0621 RURAL NEWS
0626 SPORTS STORY: U.S. - live i/v with Paul Witteman, "Sports Illustrated". (college football season)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: CIGARETTE LIGHTERS - Fire Service wants disposable lighters banned unless they're child resistant but Insurance Council believes regulation is waste of time. (Clare Sziranyi)
0640 OVERSEAS NEWSPAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: DAIRY BOARD continues to suffer from depressed world prices, exchange raate, and compotitors reluctant to open own markets or stop subsidies for local industries. Comment from chair Sir Dryden Spring. (Gyles Beckford) COMMODITY PRICES - ANZ Bank's latest survey shows little immediate benefit to many exporters from recent fall in dollar's value. (Gyles Beckford) FINANCE/MARKETS U.S. ECONOMY - vibrant, low inflation economy seems to be in almost perfect harmony, except for Wall St's continued wild swings. Comment from Larry Wachtel, Prudential Securities in New York. (Gyles Beckford) BUSINESS BRIEFS SWITZERLAND - WAGES - survey by Union Bank of Switzerland shows employees in Geneva and Zurich are highest paid in world, followed by Copenhagen, Tokyo. New York, and Luxembourg. (AAP)
0700 INTRO/NEWS RABBIT VIRUS - suggestions that RCD has already spread beyond restricted areas in Central Otago. Live i/v with MAF's chief veterinarian Barry O'Neil; some Central Otago farmers refusing to co-operate with control operation. Live i/v with one, Doug Brown; Agriculture minister Lockwood Smith addresses farmers' meeting in Cromwell, told RCD should now be managed rather than contained or eradicated - i/ved live. JUDGE/FRAUD - future of Judge Martin Boattie expected to be decided within week. Justice minister Doug Graham reported to be under pressure to deal with situation. Judiciary regards return to bench for Martin Bsattie as unacceptable. Live i/v with Political editor Al Morrison. CHILD HEALTH - Parliamentary select committe concerned that policy of free doctors' visits for under 6 year olds may lead to cost blow-outs because there's no incentive for doctors or patients to limit consltations. Comment from AK Dr Craig Marshall, WN mother Gurmeet Singh, who disagree. Live i/v with select committee chair Brian Neeson.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FINANCE UPDATE RUGBY - North Harbour player Troy Flavell banned for 12 months after being found quilty of eye gouging, stiffest penalty given by Rugby Union for eye gouging. Live i/v with commentator Graeme Moody. RABBIT VIRUS - so far 5 farms in Central Otago have been served with notices restricting transportation of potentially rabbit-infected material but MAF running into problems with farmers reluctant to co-operate with control programme. Live i/v with reporter Graham McKerracher, plus audio drop-ins. NORTH KOREA - MISSILES - North Korea calls off talks on missile proliferation with US after Washington grants asylum to 2 diplomats and their families. Live i/v with correspondent Judy Lessing. MENTAL HEALTH - MāORI - experts gather in WN to examine specifically Māori approaches to mental health problem. (Eric Frykberg) WEATHER - EL NINO under way in Pacific dubbed largest weather event this century. Exports meeting at UN-aponsored conference in Geneva. I/v with NZ-born scientist Dr Kevin Trenberth, National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. (Mng Rpt)
0800 NEWS/WEATHER RABBIT VIRUS - fresh results due today of tests on dead rabbits in Maniototc and Twizel Areas. Agriculture minister Lockwood Smith says if results positive, MAF may have to revise decision not to release RCD more widely; Massey Univ resource economist Anton Meister concerned about impact spread of diseasa may have on environment and on NZ's international "clean green" reputation - he's i/ved live. RABBIT VIRUS - South Australia officials quickly gave up early attempts to control RCD and switched to programme of controlled release when virus spread to state. Live i/v with Ron Sinclair, research scientist with Dept of Primary Industries; live i/v with South Australia farmer Don Pfitzner, who represents National Farmers Fedn on Australian RCD management programme. BOUGAINVILLE - NZ Foreign Affairs minister Don McKinnon says NZ will host more peace talks aimed at reachign settlement. Mr McKinnon has held talks with Papua New Guinea PM Bill Skate and hopes to speak to head of Bougainville Revolutionary Army. Francis One, who's threatened to boycott further talks if Mr McKinnon didn't accept offer of meeting. Don McKinnon i/ved live. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS CHILD HEALTH - select committee concerned whether under-6 health care policy is helping the right people and about possible cost blow-outs. Live i/v with AK GPs Neil Hefford and Alistair Sullivan.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS IMMIGRATION - some immigrants gambling $20,000 on ability to learn English within 12 months of arriving in NZ. Comment from Immigration minister Max Bradford et al. (Nicci Coffey) JAPANESE POWs - South Wairarapa council votes not to revive idea of peace garden in memory of POWs killed by NZ guards in 1943 riot. RSA president John Clakr hopes it's the end of the idea but former borough councillot Roy Challis says peace garden will be built eventually. They're both i/ved live. FOREIGN AFFAIRS - PM Jim Bolger's Pacific Islands trip includes visit to Samoa to commemmorate 35th anniversary of independence from NZ and signing of friendship treaty. Highlight of visit will be when village of Falelatai confers title on chief on Mr Bolger. Comment from NZ MP Arthur Anae, Samoan Council's Tino Pereira, and Atanoa Herbert Crichton. (Mark Henderson) MONSERRAT - evacuation resumes at slow trickle as govt officials continue to urge Britain to do more for those who want to stay. Barring cataclysmic eruption, northern patch of island should continue to be safe for habitation. Live i/v with correspondent David Lee. FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsythe.