0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: COOK ISLANDS - CYCLONE PAM batters islands. Live report from Elma MaUa.
0621 RURAL NEWS
0626 SPORTS STORY: AUSTRALIAN SPORT - i/v with correspondent Tim Gavel. (lite beer and 1 day cricket crowds)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: HEALTH SPENDING - National Health Committee wants decisions made on rationing of health services to be made openly and for public to have say in how funding should be distributed. Comment from Prof John Campbell, committee member and Dean of the Otago Medical School, Alistair Scott of Coalition for Public Health, and Health minister Bill English. (Rae Lamb)
0630 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: TREASURY FORECASTS - December economic and fiscal update cheerful and optimistic, but are they too optimistic? Live i/v with Deutsche Morgan Grenfell chief economist Ulf Schoefisch. FINANCE/MARKETS DB ANNUAL RESULT - shrinking share of shrinking market plus capital restructuring expected to impact on result announced today. Analysts expect brewer to show profit of around $25 million, down nearly 20% on last year. (Rodney Joyce) TRANZRAIL may soon be shipping freight between Australia and NZ, looking at expanding Cook Strait shipping interests to trans Tasman routes. (Rodney Joyce) ROADS FUNDING - TranzRail chair Ed Burkhardt tells AGM that private motorists and ratepayers currently subsidising trucking industry and it's time for more commercial approach to road building and funding. Also calls for more state assets to be privatised. (Rodney Joyce) NATIONAL MUTUAL forecast to be affected by Asian crisis. Managing director Geoff Tomlinson says if investment markets stay at existing levels, profit in current year could suffer to tune of $45 million. (Rodney Joyce)
0700 INTRO/NEWS COOK ISLANDS - CYCLONE PAM appears to have passed over Rarotonga with little mishap. Avarua took full brunt of winds and sea swells with 2 nearby villages suffering heavy flooding. Live i/v with Pacific Resort Hotel manager Thomas Koteka. EVA RICKARD to be buried this morning on land she fought to have returned to her tribe. Hundreds of people have attended her tangi over last 3 days. Live i/v with son-in-law Dan Te Kanawa. CLIMATE CHANGE - KYOTO - delegates struggle with greenhouse gas issue. US caves in on previously intransigent stance on emissions in effort to demonstrate "flexibility" urged by vice president Al Gore. (BBC); i/v with NZ Environment minister Simon Upton, who says meeting in danger of developing into stand-off between US and European Union. (Mng Rpt); Greenpeace's Kirsty Hamilton says issue of effective climate policy hangs in balance. BOUGAINVILLE - NZ Defence Force says presence on island making difference to local attitudes after 9 years of war. (Mark Henderson) LINCOLN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS - MP Trevor Mallard says students will pay extra $300 a year in fees because of govt failure to crack down on illegal investments by tertiary institutions, says Lincoln made illegal play on bond market, losing $1.7 million in process. Education mnister Wyatt Creech admits legislation is deficient and is trying to sort it out. Live i/v with Trevor Mallard.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE COALITION - a look back at a year of coalition govt. (Al Morrison); live i/v with former PM Jim Bolger; live discussion with panel of voters - AK illegible Tom Davies, Wairarapa kindergarten teacher Judy Clarke, DN student Angelina Wilson, and WN bookshop owner Tim Skinner.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER CYCLONES - several have hit Pacific area in last 2 months. I/v with Mark Kersemakers, forecaster at Nadi weather centre about unusual cyclone season. (Mng Rpt) U.S. - GREENHOUSE GASES - US world's biggest producer, much of it coming from light trucks, mini-vans, and sport utility vehicles crowding the freeways. American love affair with vans and pick-up trucks one of biggest hurdles facing those fighting global warming. (Judy Lessing) RUARIMU MASSACRE CASE - another psychiatrist to testify today about Stephen Anderson's mental state. Andrew McRae reports live. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS UNIVERSITY INVESTMENTS - Labour MP Trevor Mallard says NZ univs have more than $11 million invested outside guidelines of Public Finance Act, calls on govt to crack down on illegal investments by tertiary institutions. Live i/v with Education minister Wyatt Creech. HEALTH SPENDING - Transitional Health Authority papers leaked by Labour renew concerns about possible cuts. Papers look at how much money can be saved by scrapping some health services, deferring others, and introducing new charges for e.g. laboratory tests and hospital stays. Helen Clark comments; Health minister Bill English says THA simply advising on ways to find money to ensure those who need elective surgery will get it.(q). Live i/v with Health correspondent Rae Lamb.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS JENNY SHIPLEY carries out first official engagement at PM, speaks to National Party members in AK at traditional Christmas function. (Todd Niall) PARLIAMENT - URGENCY sitting today and rest of week as govt tries to get through number of law changes before Christmas. Opposition concerned legislation will be unnecessarily rushed through. Comment from Leader of the House Wyatt Creech, Jonathan Hunt, and Matt Robson. (Clare Pasley) INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION - Information Technology minister Maurice Williamson releasing report on learning with IT, just as VUW academics push for NZ's first national virtual reality university. Prof John Tiffin, head of Master of Communications programme, urging govt to harness Internet for virtual reality education. Live i/v with Education correspondent Cushla Managh. ROCK CONCERT - residents of Taumarere in Pahia stall efforts to stage New Year rock concert in area. Concert organisers told they'll have to publicly notify applicationfor special liquor licence. I/v with promoter Richard Quinn and Taumarere resident Selwyn Wilson. (Mng Rpt) BOUGAINVILLE - hot temperatures and health problems greet NZ and Australian defence personnel setting up camp on island. Live report from Mark Henderson.