0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 MāORI NEWS 1616 NEWS STORY FIRE SERVICE - ESTALL RESIGNS - Roger Estall quits as chair of Fire Service Commission, leaves with $68,000 payout, says he's leaving because of unrelenting camapign of character assassination and denigration. (Sarah Boyd)
0620 RURAL NEWS FIRE INSURANCE - Waitaki District Council urges farmers to check policies after releasing details of cost of fire in McKenzie Country in February. Owner of Glen Station near Omarama facing fire-fighting bill of more than $140,000 as result of fire which destroyed pasture, fencing, hay and sheds. (Graham McKerracher) illegible GASES - NZ efforts to reduce emissions providing big challenge for farmers but they, and forecasters, stand to benefit. MAF's message in workshops on climate change policies says agriculture has key role to play in commitment to reduce emissions because methane, produced by grazing livestock is biggest contributor to greenhouse gases. (Kevin Ikin) CARBON DIOXIDE - NZers part of international research project aimed at finding out more about how effectively forests can absorb carbon dioxide. 2 Landcare Research scientists leaving for Siberia to take part in measuring uptake and release of carbon in forests there. (Kevin Ikin) GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS - application for NZ's first commercial crop delayed. Monsanto hoped to have modified canola approved for planting in Spring but has run out of time for application to Environmental Risk Management Authority to be successful for this year's crop. (Catherine Harris)
0625 SPORTS STORY AUSTRALIAN SPORTS - i/v with correspondent Tim Gavel, (tomorrow's Australia-NZ World Cricket Cup match; Australian team has intensive fielding practice following its match against Scotland)
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY illegible - ELECTIONS - BARAK WINS - new PM Ehud Barak begins taks of forming govt, says he'll forge secure peace with Palestinians and ease divisions among Israelis. Will he form national unity govt including Likud or stick with labour's traditional allies? Live i/v with correspondent Catherine Drew.
0640 INTERNATIONAL PAPERS
0642 MANA NEWS BAY OF PLENTY Māori may not get separate constituency in regional council after all SUPERHERO - new Māori hero hits television screens.
0648 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS U.S. - INTEREST RATES - Federal Reserve signals rises in pipeline, announces there will be no changes to federal funds rate and discount rate. Fed says it's discarded its "neutral" outlook and it now has formal policy bias toward higher borrowing costs to curb inflation. (RTR) TELECOM PROFIT - Telecom says it hasn't wall in NZ despite continued flat profits. Yesterday's $822 million full year after tax profit latest episode in now familiar story of big prices and earnings cuts in national and international toll markets offset by growth in mobile phones, enhanced services and data products such as internet. But chief exec Rod deane says Telecom well into process of uniting technologies and that may lead to changes in structure. (Gyles Beckford) FINANCE/MARKETS MARKET REVIEW SKI FIELDS - MERGER between Whakapapa and Turoa being investigated. Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, owner of Whakapapa, applies to Commerce Commisison for clearance to buy Turoa. Whakapapa general manager Dave Mazey says dominance of North Island ski market not an issue. (Helen Matterson) VINEYARD SHARES - Delegat's Wines forms new vineyard company that will offer 80% of shares to public while Delegat's will be cornerstone shareholder with 20% stake. (Helen Matterson) BALANCE OF PAYMENTS - visiting Australian economist, Bill Shields of Macquarie Bank, suggests concerns that balance of payments will start to mushroom again on back of consumer-led economic recovery may be overdone. He says while it's tough for commodity-based exporters such as NZ and Australia, international lenders taking sensible and pragmatic view. (Gyles Beckford) WESTPACTRUST PROFIT - bank reports half yearly profit of $171 million, up 14% on same period last year. Chief exec Harry Price says results shows bank has successfully come through merger of Westpac and Trustbank. (Helen Matterson) illegible INTRO/NEWS FIRE SERVICE - ESTALL RESIGNS - Roger Estall i/ved live; PM Jenny Shipley i/ved live; live i/v with Political editor Al Morrison re impact of affair on govt. ISRAEL - NEW PM - world leaders welcome landslide victory of Ehud Barak, predict it will restart MidEast peace process; Mr Barak turning attention to forming govt and reviving peace process. Live i/v with David Horowitz, "Jerusalem Report".
0730 NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS FINANCE UPDATE GENETIC ENGINEERING - 3rd attempt by Alliance MP Phillida Bunkle to impose controls almost certain to be defeated in Parliament today. Her latest Bill proposed moratorium on further research and Royal Commission of Inquiry. Labour says it won't support Bill until a Royal Commission has been held on issue, and govt says Bill is too wide-ranging. Live i/v with Ms Bunkle and Environment minister Simon Upton. VETERANS' CLAIM - govt to be faced with compensation claim of half million dollars for allowing defence personnel to be involved in nuclear, biological and chemical testing. Lawyers representing veterans' organisation Rimpac illegible to procced with compensation claims from personnel serving overseas from 1957. Documented proof gathered of operations in Mururoa and Vietnam. Live i/v with Rimpac chair Trevor Humphrey. AUSTRALIA - TAX - PM John Howard standing his ground over GST despite issue threatening his govt, will meet Meg Lees, Australian Democrat leader, tomorrow in attempt to resurrect tax reform agenda but not expecting any deal to be reached. If deal not reached, double dissolution of Parliament could arise. Democrats refusing to budgeon demand that food be exempt from GST. I/v with Meg Lees. (Mng Rpt)
0800 NEWS/WEATHER FIRE SERVICE - ESTALL RESIGNS - Internal Affairs minister Jack Elder says govt accepted resignation with regret and is paying $68,000 to Roger Estall in recognition of offer to resign and intense pressures he's operated under. (q); live i/v with Derek Best, Firefighters' Union secretary; live i/v with United MP Peter Dunne, former Internal Affairs minister; live i/v with Internal Affairs minister Jack Elder. (who says govt already has someone in mind to replace Mr Estall) FIJI ISLANDS - ELECTION - former PM Sitiveni Rabuka criticises Indian community for voting along racial lines in election that saw his govt defeated and success of Indian-dominated Labour party led by Mahendra Choudhry. Mr Rabuka says problems which led to coups led by him 12 years ago have re-emerged as result of election - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) ISRAEL - NEW PM - live i/v with Israeli ambassador to NZ, Lydia Choukron, re changes election result may bring.
0830 NEWS/WEATHER RUGBY LEAGUE - AK Warriors captain Matthew Ridge suspended for 8 matches following National Rugby League hearing in Sydney on charges arising from Sunday's match with Canberra. One charge was dismissed and 2 others downgraded. Live i/v with ABC sports correspondent Daniel McDougall. WINZ RESTRUCTURING - Work and Income NZ chief exec Christine Rankin called before Parliamentary select committee over latest restructuring plans, aske dto explain review of Community Employment Group, unit focussed on job creation. Critics fear review will see group swallowed up by WINZ and specialist function lost. Comment from Labour MP Steve Maharey, Lindy McIntyre of FinSec, Bernard Lynch, Clutha Agricultural Development Board, and CH mayor Garry Moore. (Sarah Boyd) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS HAWERA FUTURE - growth at one of world's largest dairy processing sites has had spin-offs for town which has undergone business rejuvenation. Hawera's economy has grown, in contrast to many Taranaki towns. (Jill Galloway) illegible - CANNES FESTIVAL - this year one of biggest for NZ-made films, with 8 on show. Films include "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted", successor to "Once Were Warriors" and comedy "Savage Honeymoon". Live i/v with Lindsay Shelton, NZ Film Commission.