0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: WN STADIUM - tapu-lifting ceremony this morning on former railyard land in central WN to clear way for construction of stadium. Live report from Māori Issues correspondent Chris Wikaira.
0620 RURAL NEWS
0625 SPORTS STORY U.S. SPORTS - live i/v with Paul Witteman, "Sports Illustrated:. (college basketball)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0636 NEWS STORY: HOSPITAL PLAN - govt officials working on 5 year plan that could leave only 2-3 major hospitals in country. Labour's Health spokesperson Annette King says illegible include cutting all elective surgery from hospitals serving fewer than 75,000 peple. (Rae Lamb)
0639 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: RETAILING OUTLOOK bleak, with ANZ Bank forecasting subdued spending by consumers this year despite July tax cuts. Chief economist Paul Stewart Asian crisis will impact on retailing; Retail Merchants' Assn more hopeful. Chief exec John Albertson says growth likely to be around 3.5-4% again this year but there's increased competition from Australia. (Rodney Joyce) FINANCE/MARKETS RURAL PROPERTY TRUST - move by dissident unit holders to wind up Trust fails. Trust now going on offensive, with chair Selwyn Cushing saying low point of cycle is time to be buying, not selling, and there are exciting days ahead; dissident who led push to wind up Trust, Alex Paterson, says revolt has sent message to managers that 20% of investors are unhapy with its performance. (Rodney Joyce) COMALCO posts full year 1997 after tax loss of $2.7 million, improvement on illegible year's $13.5 million, but company took charge of more than $36 million because of fall in exchange rate. Comment from managing director Kerry McDonald. (Gyles Beckford) MONETARY POLICY - Cavill white Securities joins criticsof Reserve Bank's policy for pushing up interst rates. Managing director Don Turkington says it's time Bank managed the currency and debt markets separately. (Rodney Joyce) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS HOSPITAL PLAN could leave country with only 203 major hospitals and mean big changes for hospitals in provinces and smaller centres. Labour's Annette King says she has leaked document to prove it. Comment also from Health minister Bill English and Associate Health minister Tuariki Delamere. (Rae Lamb); i/v with Peter Roberts, Assn of Salaried Medical Specialists, who has concerns about implications of plan. (Mng Rpt); i/v with Health minister Bill English. (Mng Rpt); live i/v with Health correspondent Rae Lamb. PETER ELLIS, serving 10 years for sex offences against children, appearing before Parole Board in CH today. Comment from lawyer Judith Ablett-Kerr. WN STADIUM - following tapu-lifting ceremony, breakfast launch of stadium taking place at Pipitea marae. Live i/v with mayor Mark Blumsky.
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE STEVEDORING - receiver for NZ Stevedoring Company confirms it will pay out up to $2 million to creditors. Live i/v with receiver Grant Graham. MISSING COUPLE - police and RNZAF personnel searching Picton rubbish tip for clues to disappearance of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope. Live i/v with reporter Lauren McKenzie. LEASES - vigourous debate in Parliament on Māori Reserved Land Amdt Bill which changes valuation process for lessees like Taranaki farmers. Those facing market rents for Māori leasehold properties can take offer of compensation from govt or go to Land Valuation Tribunal for independent assessment. Comment from Finance minister Bill Birch, MPs Michael Cullen and Rodney Hide, and Lyn Williams, West Coast Settlement Reserve Lessees' Assn. (Clare Pasley) SERBIA - KOSOVO - Serbia rules out talks with Kosovo Albanian leaders until they give up demands for independence. I/v with BBC correspondent Paul Wood re outcome of visit by US envoy Robert Gelbard. (Mng Rpt) FOREIGN AFFAIRS - JAPAN - PM Jenny Shipley returns today from first official visit of NZ PM to Japan for 22 years, says relationship between countries is in good shape. I/v with reporter Clare Sziranyi, who covered the visit. (Mng Rpt)
0800 NEWS/WEATHER HOSPITAL PLAN - Health minister Bill English has confirmed that having downgraded or closed hospitals in smallest places, officials now looking at what should be provided in provincial centres. Live i/v with Ron Dunham, chief exec of Eastbay Health which runs Whakatane Hospital, and Bruce Golloop, chief exec of Northland Health which runs Kaitaia Hospital. ELECTRICITY CRISIS - LAW CASE - small business owners cripoled by crisis say they'll continue legal action to get compensation from Mercury Energy, despite Mercury saying it will look at setting up quick and fair system to deal with customer claims; details of govt inquiry into crisis to be released by Energy minister Max Bradford today - he's i/ved on whether inquiry will be public or private. (Mng Rpt) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS DROUGHT - MARLBOROUGH farmers rejoice after day of rain but say it's too early to celebrate yet. About 25 millimetres has fallen in area and more is forecast later in week. Live i/v with Marc McNaught of Weather Workshop and farmer Graham Hewitt. ASTHMA - scientists at Malaghan Inst of Medical Research discover that vaccine used for TB can alleviate and even prevent asthma in mice, may also apply to humans. Comment from John Eastwood, medical adviser to the Asthma Foundation, Professor Graham Le Gros, head of the research team, and sufferer Nicky Wrighton. (Eric Frykberg) COOK ISLANDS TAX INQUIRY - Justice Smellie reserves decision in battle between illegible First leader Winston Peters and Sir Ronald Davison over findings of Inquiry. Live report from Economics correspondent Bronwen Evans.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS BRITAIN - FARMING/PUBLIC HEALTH - National Consumer Council report strongly attacks intensive farming methods as serious threat to public health, condemns use of chemicals and demands radical change in farming practices. (Keith Chalkley) ITALY - CABLE CAR - report of investigation into tragedy expected to be released tomorrow. 20 people killed when low-flying US military plane hit cable. Live i/v with correspondent Frances Kennedy. KAKAPO - Flossie and Richard Henry parents of 2 new chicks, with 3rd hatching, on Maud Island. Chicks are ray of hope for native parrot species on brink of extinction. (Andrea Rush); live i/v with Don Merton, of DoC's national kakapo team. FRANCE - FIREFIGHTERS' STRIKE at airports causing havoc as flights are cancelled. I/v with correspondent Jim Bitteman. (Mng Rpt) (also talks about exhumation of Yves Montand's body and likely effects of local elections on right wing politics) FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsythe.