0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS
0616 NEWS STORY: PROPERTY MARKET showing signs of making comeback. Massey Univ survey indicates signs of rising confidence in 3 main centres - AK, WN, and CH. Findings follow hard on heels of drop in floating mortgage rates, lowest for 10 years. (Eric Frykberg)
0620 RURAL NEWS MEAT COMPANY CONTRACTS - Aotearoa Meatworkers' Union says it will consider mounting new challenges against contracts following Employment Court ruling which has struck out number of conditions in Hawkes Bay wool-scouring company. Unino secretary Graham Cook says it's first time court has struck out terms of employment on basis they are harsh and oppressive. (Kevin Ikin) PRODUCER BOARD DREGULATION - Meat Board says it will be seeking clarification of govt's position on reform after confusing signals it has made over past few days. Chief exec Neil Taylor says govt needs to clarify what it's been saying but he doesn't believe PM Shipley is backing off from commitment to reform. (Kevin Ikin) APPLE AND PEAR BOARD says its single seller export status was key factor in NZ being granted right to send apples to India. Global sales manager Alasdair Robertson says single desk operation is major reason for NZ's lead on its competitors. (Kevin Ikin) KIWIFRUIT BOARD chair Doug Voss says single seller marketing structure gives NZ advantages over other major kiwifruit exporters, says NZ growers have been consistently making profit since 1993. (Kevin Ikin) WORLD RURAL WOMEN'S DAY - NZ rural women marking day with speakers and photojournalism award. Jenny Turner, WDFF spokesperson, says WDFF feels rural women not a visible group and media continues to use stereotypes to portray them. (Catherine Harris)
0625 SPORTS STORY illegible SPORTS - live i/v with Paul Witteman,"Sports Illustrated". (National Basketball Assoc not able to start new season due to labour dispute; baseball NY Yankees make their way into world series)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY: OLYMPIC BOMBER - FBI officials charge fugitive Eric Rudolph with bombing that caused explosing during 1996 Atlanta community. Randolph is accused of 3 bombings, including attack on Alabama abortion clinic, and has been on run since January. Live i/v with correspondent Judy Lessing.
0639 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS TREATY NEGOTIATIONS - Georgina Te Heu Heu says it negotiations are between Māori and Crown not Māori and Pakeha and therefore it's quite appropriate for Māori to be in charge of negotiations.
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS: BRIERLEY INVESTMENTS/SHAMROCK'S president Sidney Gold in Singapore hoping to sell rescue plan to Brierley board in face to face meeting but Shamrock says whatever happens at board meeting, it will make direct pitch to shareholders. Managing director Clifford Miller says Shamrock has requested copy of Brierley's share register; founder and board member Sir Ron Brierley reportedly critical of Shamrock plan but Clifford Miller says he might feel differently if he weren't too busy to talk to Shamrock. (Clare Sziranyi) FINANCE/MARKETS MARKET REVIEW PROPERTY MARKET - 2 Massey Univ studies suggest homes becoming more affordable and property market pickin up. AMP Home Mortgage Affordability Index, researched by Massey, has dropped to level not seen since early 1994 and quarterly Market Outlook survey forecasts more sales and greater confidence among house buyers. Comment from Massey lecturer Gary Dowse. (Clare Sziranyi) PROPERTY VALUATION - Ernst and Young partner Graeme Horsley says residential valuers need to change way they operate, says key lesson from Fletcher Homes case is that valuers need to include forecasts in home valuation reports. (Clare Sziranyi) INVESTMENT/BROKING - downturn in finance markets now starting to make itelf felt in industry. Merrill Lynch, world's biggest brokers, has started laying off staff. BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS PROPERTY MARKET on comeback trail. Panels of bankers, developers, real estate agents and valuers surveyed in 3 main centres predict surgeo f confidence in next 3-6 months. CH showing biggest upswing. Live i/v with Garry Dowse, Massey Univ's dept of Finance, Banking and Property; live i/v with Economic illegible Bronwen Evans. KOSOVO - REFUGEES - UNHCR resumes work in province, ferrying relief supplies to ethinc Albanian refugees living rough in countryside. Live i/v with correspondent Paul Woods. RAMSTEAD CASE - Privy Council reserves decision on appeal of former CH cardiothoracic surgeon Keith Ramstead against his conviction for manslaughter. He was given suspended 6-month sentence in 1996 after being found guilty of causing death of elderly patient Nancy Muncie in 1992. Live i/v with Court reporter Merle Nowland; live i/v with correspondent Keith Chalkley, who's been at the Privy Council hearing. FOREIGN STUDENTS - govt agrees to raise by 3,000 number of Chinese students it admits to local schools and universities. Other changes in Policies for Progress package include allowing foreign tertiary students to work for up to 15 hours a week. Comment from Education minister Wyatt Creech, Richard Howard of Hamilton agency, Massey Univ Students' Assn's Peter Hobson and John Barkis, Polytechnic Students' Assn. (Karlum Lattimore); Immigration minister Tuariki Delamere says freeing up access for Chinese students will provide boost to economy and meet demand from China. (Mng Rpt)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE (Brierley Investments/Shamrock) SCHOOL CLOSURE - Small Southland school to become latest to shut doord when it closes at end of year after more than 100 years in existence. Locals say decision to close Orawia School has been forced on them under govt's education development initiative - EDI - which aims to "assist rationalisation". Comment from Education ministry's John Mather, parents Rosalie Stoker and Murray Hagen, and Kelly Smith, chair of the board of trustees at Boddytown School on the West Coast. (Gael Woods); i/v with Education minister Wyatt Creech. ORGANICS - burgeoning industry increases export earnings by almost 45% in last year, bringing in about $20 million. Demand outstripping supply but NZ producers facing increasing competition from other countries. Live i/v with Stuart Abbot, Zespri project manager.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER PROPERTY MARKET - housing recovering from downturn, spurred on by falling mortgage rates. Live i/v with Phil McGoldrick, president of CH Real Estate Inst; live i/v with Grant Hannis, Consumers' Inst economist. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS CODE OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY - Fedn of Voluntary Welfare Organ disappointed official report has been delayed. Public responses to Code closed 5 months ago and Fedn believes dealy due to high response rate although others say it's because govt doesn't know what to do with Code. Comment from Fedn's Tina Reid, Labour MP Steve Maharey and Social Services minister Roger Sowry. (Catherine Walbridge) PAPUA NEW GUINEA - POLITICAL INSTABILITY increases. Deputy PM sacked and another 6 cabinet ministers asked to resign. Also, Brig Gen Jerry Singirok reappointed as commander of Defence Force. He led army revolt against govt of Sir Julius Chan in March 1997. Live i/v with Prof Ted Wolpers in Port Moresby. MID EAST PEACE PROCESS - Israeli PM Netanyahu and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Washington for summit aimed at breaking deadlock in process but omens not good. Murder of Israeli, allegedly by Palestinian militants may have jeopardised agreement. Key issue is still how much of Occupied West Bank is Israel prepared to hand over to Palestinian control in return for security guarantees. Live i/v with Prof Michael Hudson, Georgetown Univ in Washington.
0830 NEWS/SPORTS BRITIAN - DOCTOR DEATH - murder inquiry grows as police exhumemore bodies allegedly linked to activities of Manchester family doctor. Dr Harold Shiplan charged with killing 4 of his patients and it's reported he could be involved in as many as 77 deaths, also charged with forging will of one of patients to inherit her entire estate. Live i/v with Mikaela Sitford, "Manchester Evening News", who first broke story. SCHOOL CLOSURES - Small South Island schools feel under siege after amost 50 closures in last 6 years under govt's education development initiative or EDI. Many are deeply unhappy with Education ministy's process of rationalising schools. Live i/v with Rosalie Stocker, parent and chair of small South Canty school of Maungati, near Timaru. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL urging people to show support for human rights via cyberspace. People logging on to website will be able to download virtual candle on to PC to send to friends. Former Rwandan Hutu mayor Sylvestre Gahungu owes his life to Amnesty International and will light one of the first cyberspace candles in AK today. He's i/ved about what happened to him. (Mng Rpt) FRUIT AND VEG REPORT with Jack Forsythe.