0600 NEWS/WEATHER
0609 NZ NEWSPAPERS
0611 NEWS STORY EAST TIMOR - REFUGEES - UN says Indonesian govt has agreed to return of thousands of refugees driven into West Timor. Relief workers having difficulty getting access to the refugees and say many are living in horrific conditions. (BBC) BRITAIN - TORIES - Conservative Party's unveiling of new policies likely to be overshadowed by controversies from the past. Former leader John Major's memoirs being serialised, he says predecessor Margaret Thathcer had split personality on Europe. Former Chancellor of Exchequer Norman Lamont also publishing his memoirs. (Keith Chalkley) RUSSIA - CHECHNYA - Russian military widening sweep into Chechnya, tanks and illegible shelling targets from both east and west, and planes carrying out more bombing raids. (BBC)
0620 RURAL NEWS MILK DUMPING AVERTED at NZ Dairy Group's Te Rapa factory. Dispute between Contact Energy and contractor over commissioning of new power plant at site settled in time for seasonal peak of milk production and farmers wo't have to dump milk. (Kevin (Ikin) MERINO WOOL PRICES - growing demand among European clothing manufacturers helps to almost double price NZ merino farmers getting for their super-fine wool. David Douglas, Merino NZ, says 20% of this year's clip is contracted and this is putting extra pressure on auction prices. (Kevin Ikin) ELECTION - FARMING - NZ FIRST announces package of policies to ease financial pressure on farmers and boost business in regions. Leader Winston Peters says party would introduce mortgage guarantee scheme to help qualified young people on to land. (q) and would re-establish Rural Affairs Unit to advise govt on issues affecting rural communities. Party appoints Northland Fed Farmers president Ian Walker as rural spokesperson. (Kevin Ikin) TRUFFLES - NZ's only commercial grower, Alan Hal of Oakland Truffiere, has most successful season since he started harvesting 6 years ago. (Kevin Ikin) illegible PROMOTION - representatives of main kiwifruit-producing countries make little progress in reaching agreement to jointly promote kiwifriut in world markets. Outgoing Kiwifruit NZ chair Doug Voss says getting agreement on generic promotion is difficult when each country is marketing under own identity. (Kevin Ikin)
0625 SPORTS STORY RUGBY WORLD CUP - All Blacks defeat Tonga 45-9. Live i/v with correspondent John McBeth.
0630 NEWS/WEATHER
0635 NEWS STORY TE AWAMUTU SALEYARDS - end of era with last sale at yards after almost 90 years. Yards to be dismantled to make way for events centre and swimming pool complex. (Andrew McRae) INTERNATIONAL PAPERS MANA MāORI ELECTIONS - MāORI UNEMPLOYMENT - MANA MOTUHAKE announces policies to tackle Māori unemployment. Comment from Hauraki candidate Willie Jackson. ELECTIONS - MāORI BROADCASTING - LABOUR's Broadcasting spokesperson Marian Hobbs says Labour would set up taskforce to see Māori broadcasting better funded. TRAFFIC REPORT
0648 BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL NEWS INFLATION - unclear how much inflationary pressure will be created by effects of depreciating NZ dollar and soaring world oil pressure. Comment from Debbie Patullo of Toyota, Bruce Meldrum of Plastics Inst. NZIER director Alexander Sundakov, and ANZ economist Bernard Hodgetts. (Paul Diamond) DIRECT SELLING - study commissioned by Direct Selling Assn finds industry contributing billion dollars a year to economy but goes largely unnoticed. Comment from research leader, Dr John Cossens, Otago Univ. (Clare Sziranyi) FINANCE/MARKETS WEEK AHEAD RURAL PROPERTY TRUST - battle lines drawn ahead of tomorrow's meeting of trust. Unitholders will voteon whether to change structure which has number of rural and forestry investments. (Clare Sziranyi) CHINA - UNILEVER very active in Chinese market, sells range of products from Lipton teas, Dove Soap to Vaseline and Wall's icecream. President of Unilever fo Greater China, Bruno Lemagne, says there are some basic rules all companies need to follow when setting up business in China. BUSINESS BRIEFS
0700 INTRO/NEWS EAST TIMOR - PUSH WEST - international force commander Maj-Gen Cosgrove says push west is decisive phase in UN's efforts to restore order to East Timor. I/v with reporter Sarah Boyd re how far west peacekeeping force has travelled and what sort of resistance they're meeting. (Mng Rpt) INDONESIA - REFUGEES/SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT - Indonesia agrees to allow first of quarter million refugees in West Timor to be airlifted back to Dili; legislative assembly elects leading reformist as Speaker, first time the body has had contested vote in 2 generations. I/v with correspondent Richard Galpin. (Mng Rpt) RUSSIA - CHECHNYA - Russian troops continue moving into Chechnya, carving out security zone in breakaway republic. I/v with Moscow correspondent Paul Anderson re whether it's full-scale assault. (Mng Rpt) JAPAN - NUCLEAR ACCIDENT - full-scale investigation launched into cause of Japan's worst nuclear accident. 3 workers mistakenly put too much uranium into steel container, setting off uncontrolled atomic reaction that spurted radioactivity into air. Questions now focussing on whether incident a result of human error or due to systematic violation of regulations. I/v with Tokyo correspondent Andrew Wood. RUGBY WORLD CUP - All Blacks have shaky start, despite beating Tonga 45-9. Coach John Hart says team needs to improve if it's to challenge England next week. I/v with player Jonah Lomu re Tongan's physical game. (Mng Rpt) NEWS/WEATHER NZ PAPERS TRAFFIC REPORT FINANCE UPDATE MMP REFERENDUM - experts on the constitution and electoral system starting own public education campaign on forthcoming referendum because there are no govt ones for official one. Group of 70 academics, constitutional lawyers and electoral system experts want the present number of MPs retained and the referendum proposal of cutting number from 120 to 99 to be rejected. Comment from political scientists Jonathan Boston, Elizabeth McLeay, and Jack Vowles. (Kathryn Street) BIKIE GANG TAXES - Inland Revenue Dept goes to High Court in CH today to try ot have one of country's oldest gangs put into liquidation. IRD claims it's owed unpaid taxes by Epitaph Riders Motorcycle Club. Live i/v with reporter John MacDonald. SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM underway in Palau. 16 countries represented but many leaders not present, including Australian PM John Howard. I/v with RNZI reporter Philippa Tolley. (Mng Rpt) MONDAY OZ SPOT - live i/v with Phil Kafcaloudes. (East Timor - Defence minister John Moore raises possibility of troops entering West Timor; Bendigo man kills his father, wounds 4 policemen before killing himself)
0800 NEWS/WEATHER EAST TIMOR - PUSH WEST - peacekeeping forces push unchallenged into territory's deserted west where pro-Jakarta militia believed to be still operating. NZrmy spokesman Maj Bede Fahet says operation to date has been successful - i/ved. (Mng Rpt) MMP REFERENDUM - group of constitutional and electoral exports to try to persuade voters in next month's referendum on MP numbers against reducing number. Live i/v with VUW Professor of Public Policy Jonathan Boston and ACT leader Richard Prebble who's in favour of fewer MPs. ENERGY DRINKS - health authorities investigating whether manufacturers of some energy drinks are breaking law by claiming they boost performance and health. Comment from Auckland HealthCare's food programme manager Kathy Pritchard, Dietetics Assn spokesperson Lyn Gillanders, and Consumers' Inst chief exec David Russell. (Kathryn Ryan) JAPAN - NUCLEAR ACCIDENT - 55 people, mainly plant workers and emergency illegible exposed to radiation and thousands of people forced to stay indoors while radiation levels tested. Ed lyman, Nuclear Control Inst in Washington, says Japanese govt's emergency response was shameful and nuclear regulatory system needs to be overhauled. He's i/ved. (Mng Rpt) CHRISTCHURCH - CRICKET's future in city should be decided within next few days. City Council has decided against building new $10 million cricket stadium and latest plan is to develop Village Green at Queen Elizabeth park for provincial matches and keep international fixtures at Jade Stadium. Live i/v with NZ Cricket chief exec Christopher Doig.
0830 NEWS/WEATHER/SPORTS NETBALL - Silver Ferns captain Belinda Collinge says team devastated by weekend's one point loss to Australia in final of World Championship. Live i/v with Championship's chief excec Sheryl Dawson and former Silver Ferns coach Lyn Gunson. FAR NORTH - PANGURU SCHOOL re-opens today, 8 months after being destroyed in floods. Live i/v with co-principal Noel Titai. INTERNATIONAL PAPERS QUEENSTOWN GROWTH - while most towns and cities in Otago and Southland are experiencing low growth, Queenstown booming. Guest nights rise by more than 15% illegible year and number of skiers has almost doubled. $84 million of construction and development work underway or confirmed. (Graham McKerracher); live i/v with mayor Warren Cooper. SERBIA - PROTESTS - opposition vows to continue protests calling for resignation of Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic. At height, protests have seen 50,000 people take to streets but fewer people turning up to rallies now. I/v with Belgrade correspondent Jackie Rowland.