0700 NEWS/WEATHER MISSING COUPLE - for first time, police confirm mystery ketch does not exist and boat Ben Smart and Olivia Hope seen boarding early on New Year's morning may be yacht now being examined by forensic experts. Police also intensifying focus on seized yacht's owner. Live i/v with reporter Clare Sziranyi. DENGUE FEVER - mosquito identified as carrier found in ship from Japan docked at AK. Outbreaks of dengue fever in Cairns and Fiji and NZ doctors keeping eye on patients who've just returned from overseas holidays. (Eileen Cameron); live i/v with Dr Michael Baker, ESR. INDONESIA - ECONOMIC CRISIS - IMF wants fresh commitment in writing to kick start financial reforms. IMF head Michel Camdessus in Jakarta for meeting with President Suharto. US Defence Secretary William Cohen says he saw no indication President Suharto intends to retire when he held talks with him. I/v with correspondent Jonathan Head. (Mng Rpt) YOUTH SEX OFFENDERS - hearing tentatively scheduled for next month on plans to rezone Paparua prison land to allow unit for adolescent sex offenders to be built there. 20 submission on change received, almost 2-thirds opposing move. Comment from Garry Moore, site selection committee, MP Jim Anderton, psychotherapist Victoria Smith, and submitter Stephanie Milne. (Jo Palmer)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS FINANCE UPDATE WORK DEATHS - 8 in first 2 weeks of year. Unions say accident record one of worst among comparable countries and safety standards in some industries practically non-existent. Live i/v with Ray Bianchi, Amalgamated Workers' Union and OSH spokeswoman Lisa-Marie Richan. IRAQ - WEAPONS INSPECTION - UN Security Council denounces Iraqi decision to bar inspections. Live i/v with Charles Delfer, deputy exec chair of UN special commission charged with ridding Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. TRADE - SOUTH KOREA - should soon be improvement in trade with freeing-up of bank restrictions this week. NZ-South Korea had virtuall halted because even companies which could afford to pay couldn't get money from local banks to pay for imports. (Bronwen Evans) illegible mothballs processing plant in Taumarunui, with loss of 260 jobs. Ruapehu District mayor Weston Kirton says closure yet another blow to town; live i/v with AFFCo's corporate relations manager Tony Wright. EXTRATERRESTRIALS - group of radio astronomers trying to get NZers involved in search for alien civilisations. US-based SETI, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligene, uses network of amateur radio buffs to scan skies for signals. Comment from director Dr Paul Shuch, NZ co-ordinator Wayne Thresher, Harvey Cooke, Tauranga UFO group, and astronomer Graeme Blow. (Caitlin Cherry)
0800 NEWS/WEATHER DENGUE FEVER outbreak could cost NZ millions of dollars, according to health authorities. Mosquito larvae, including that of Asian Tiger mosquito and Aedef Japonicus, which is vector for Japanese encephalitis, found in Japanese ship docked in AK. Live i/v with Public Health director Gillian Durham. WORK DEATHS - unions blame slack safety standards and lack of govt funding for 8 deaths in 2 weeks. Labour minister Max Bradford says more govt intervention not the answer to the problem; construction and building industry one of 3 biggest killers of workers on the job. Trevor Allsebrook, Industry Training Orgn and Master Builders' Fedn, says "cowboys" in industry foiling efforts of reputable employers. He's i/ved live. NZ PAPERS INTERNATIONAL PAPERS VANUATU - RENEWED TENSION in Port Vila amid rumours of further protests against those responsible for provident Fund debacle. Live i/v with Vanuatu opposition leader and former PM Donald Kalpakos. CHOLESTEROL DRUG - Pharmac deal with US drug giant Parke-Davis could save it $150 million over next 6 years. New cholesterol-lowering drug Atorvastatin will be available to up to 20,000 NZers at risk of heart attack. Live i/v with pharmac general manager David Moore.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS CRICKET - NZ loses to Australia in 1-day match it was desperate to win, one of most disappointing performances of season. Live i/v with commentator Bryan Waddle. REGIONAL TELEVISION - cheaper technology one reason behind number of regional broadcasters due to go to air this year. Difficulties facing them haven't stopped new hopefuls from entering market. Comment from regional channel owner Gary Watson and Phil Rodgers, Saturn community channel manager. (Karen Gregory-Hunt); is regional televison a viable prospect long term? Live i/v with media commentator Paul Smith. MāORI TEACHERS - chronic shortage, presently only 500 Māori language teachers in country. Māori educationalist Pita Sharples says while everyone knows there's shortage, nobody's doing anything about it. Comment also from Dave Randell, Melville High School, Graeme Marshall, Hutt Valley High School, and Troy Trinic, teachers' college. (Mary-Jane Aggett) GERMANY - DOOMSDAY CULT - detectives head for Tenerife to investigate alleged illegible planned mass suicide. Group, mostly Germans, travelled to Tenerife where they believed their souls would be picked up by spaceship. Live i/v with correspondent Geoff Rodoreda. FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsythe.