0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 Māori NEWS 1616 NEWS STORY U.S. - IMPEACHMENT - President Clinton, visiting MidEast, tells world's media impeaching him is not in the US interest, offering to make any reasonable compromise to end crisis with Congress. Live i/v with correspondent Judy Lessing.
0620 RURAL NEWS COMMODITY PRICES - National Bank, main rural lender, forecasts little change in currently low prices in next 1-2 years and sats profitability of farm businesses will remain under pressure. (Kevin Ikin) AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION - Green Party wants half of NZ's production to be organic by year 2000, with the rest moving down that path. How realistic is that target? (Catherine Harris) ANIMAL HEALTH FRAUD - Waikato man Robert Pickering found quilty of selling unlicensed products that he claimed protected livestock from number of illnesses. Judge found he undertook experimental work that resulted in unnecessary suffering to animals. (Andrew McRae) CHERRY MARKET - South Korea agrees to give access to NZ cherries, could be worth several million dollars a year. Trade minister Lockwood Smith says agreement could set valuable precedent for other stonefruit exports to Korea. (q). (Catherine Harris)
0625 NEWS STORY FIRE SERVICE - parliamentary select committee releases critical report following year-long inquiry. Internal Affairs committee's report shows split along party lines in many recommendations but all members agree govt could improve its handling of Fire Service issues. Comment from MPs trevor Mallard, Grant Gillon, Roger Estall (q), and union secretary Derek Best. (Kathryn Street)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 SPORTS STORY BRITISH SPORTS - live i/v with correspondent Paul Newman. (Ashes cricket slipping away from England; Australian bookies scandal)
0639 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS CONSERVATION DEPT - Te Puni Kokiri review outlines way DoC can improve relationship with Māori. BOARDING SCHOOLS - a look at predicament of Māori boarding schools.
0651 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS PHONE NUMBERS - 5 of NZ's telecomms companies agree on process to settle issue of number portability but others refuse to sign up. One of those is Clear which says agreement presents major obstacles to competition. Corporate Affairs director Rosanne Graham says there's no assurance portability will be introduced at price that 's reasonable to consumers. (Gyles Beckford) COMMODITY PRICES - ANZ Bank World Commodity Price Index indicates prospects of export-led economic recovery are some way off. NZ dollar depreciation has helped protect exporters from falling commodity prices. Chief economist Bernard Hodgetts says dollar seems to be on more stable footing. (Chris Roberts) FINANCE/MARKETS MARKET REVIEW WAIRARAPA ELECTRICITY agrees to sell its lines and contracting business to Powerco for $82 million. Sale follows recent sale of Wairarapa's energy retailing and generation business to ECNZ for $16.7 million. (Chris Roberts) WAIKAREMOANA HYDRO station, currently owned by ECNZ, still to be sold. Govt plans that one of the new SOEs arising from ECNZ split will be based around Huntly Power Station and it has been allocated Waikaremoana Hydro plant which ECNZ has been in process of selling since 1995. (Chris Roberts) TOPWER CORPN already looking beyond planned debut on NZ and Australasian stock exchanges next year. Managing director James Boonzaier says GPG plan to merge Tower with Tyndall Australia is dead issue but is not discounting Tower will figure in mergers or take-overs once it's public company. (Gyles Beckford) BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS MID EAST - PEACE PROCESS - Palestinian leaders agree to scrap calls for destruction of Israel in Palestinian charter. President Clinton asks both Palestinians and Israelis to show compromise. Live i/v with correspondent Laurie Neff; i/v with Dr As'ad Abdul Rahman, PLO exec member. (Mng Rpt) FIRE SERVICE - Internal Affairs select committee recommends changes to way Fire Service is funded and rejects reducing firefighter numbers on appliances. Alliance MP on committee, former firefighter Grant Gillon, believes Fire Service Commission now obliged to follow committee's recommendations; i/v with committee chair Katherine O'Regan, starting with issue of Fire Commission chair illegible Estall and apparent conflict of interest. (Mng Rpt) HOPE/SMART CASE - this morning, Judge McAloon releases decision on whether Scott Watson will stand trial for murder of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope who disappeared in Marlborough Sounds on New Year's Day. Live i/v with reporter Helen Shea. ECONOMIC PROSPERITY - look at PM Jenny Shipley's claim on MR last week that many things in her administration have materially improved prosperity of NZers. Not everyone agrees with her. Comment from Craig Loach, a radio sales manager, technical assistant Therese Clarke, central WN dentist Stan Litras, Kevin Hackwell, director of WN's Downtown Community Ministry, and Massey Univ senior social policy lecturer, Mike O'Brien, who's also on board of AK City Mission. (Paul Diamond)
0730 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE BOUGAINVILLE - NZ Foreign Affairs minister Don McKinnon on way to island in attempt to put right snag in peace process. Papua New Guinea govt has failed to establish Bougainville Reconciliation Govt as set out in agreement, angering Bougainvillians. Mr McKinnon i/ved. (Mng Rpt) MURIWHENUA CLAIM - $140 million claims stalled on issue of who should negotiate settlement. Treaty Negotiations minister Doug Graham suggests way through the impasse, proposes new negotiating body made up people from both Muriwhenua runanga and opposition Treaty Claims Alliance and with independent chair. Live i/v with reporter Lois Williams. SEXUAL HARASSMENT at the Christmas party - Rape Crisis warns it's commonplace at many work functions, particularly Christmas parties, says many people don't realise that rules outlawing harassment in workplace also apply to work parties. (Caitlin Cherry) PORNOGRAPHY - Greater Manchester police reveal more details of international child pornography ring exposed by NZ police and Internal Affairs Dept. Live i/v with Manchester's Insp Terry Jones.
0800 NEWS/WEATHER MID EAST - PEACE PROCESS - Palestine National Council reaffirms clauses in charter calling for Israel's destruction are null and void. Delegates affirm they'll pursue peace with Israel, away from path of violence. President Clinton, first US president to visit Palestine-ruled territory, urges both Palestinian and Israeli leaders to show compromise. Live i/v with Dr William Harris, MidEast affairs specialist at Otago Univ. FIRE SERVICE - Internal Affairs select committee recommends changing levy system and not reducing manning levels on fire appliances. Live i/v with union secretary Derek Best. U.S. - IMPEACHMENT - vice president Al Gore calls on Congress to censure President Clinton rather than impeach him, says there's wide agreement president's conduct was wrong but criticises Republicans for forcing vote which American people do not want. Live i/v with Doug Walker, communications director for Democratic National Committee. CHAMPAGNE - British expert Tom Stevenson claims the English invented champagne by further fortifying wine from Champagne district. (Paul Chapman, Feature Story) DISPUTES TRIBUNALS - Labour's Justice spokesperson Phil Goff to seek leave of House to put through Bill to correct what he believes are errors in Disputes Tribunals Act, says amount which can be claimed needs to be increased - i/ved. (Mng Rpt)
0830 NEWS/SPORTS PHONE NUMBERS - 5 telecomms companies reach agreement on number portability - Telecom, Vodafone, Telstra, Newcall and Teamtalk - but others, including Clear, refuse to sign. Live i/v with Communications minister Maurice Williamson. DEPRESSED CHILDREN - alarming number in South AK primary schools reported by public health nurses. One nurse says she sees several each weeks, children distressed by broken families, abuse and living in poverty. School principals say it's causing behavioural problems and impacting on ability to learn. (Mary-Jane Aggett) DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - police delivering message against violence in South AK in effort to prevent family violence over Christmas period. Live i/v with South AK's Community Relations officer Sgt Mike Morgan. FRANCE - YOUTH RAMPAGE in Toulouse, injuring 6 policemen and causing widespread damage after death of Arab teenager. Youth was shot by police while driving stolen car and left unattended by more than hour in gutter where he died. Live i/v with correspondent Jim Bitterman. (also talks about National Front and Jean-Marie le Pen)